Trump’s Day One: A Bold Agenda to Reclaim America
My post is a summary of an article I came across on Fox News. He is coming out running!
Day one, President-elect Trump is set to sign over 200 executive actions, marking a major shift in U.S. policy across a range of areas, from border security to energy to cutting costs for families. These actions aim to tackle key issues like the federal bureaucracy, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, and more, all while staying true to Trump’s campaign promises.
According to a senior official, Trump’s Day One agenda will include a number of sweeping changes. He’ll end the controversial “Catch and Release” policy, pause offshore wind leases, scrap the electric vehicle mandate, abolish the Green New Deal, and pull out of the Paris Climate Accord. The aim is to reassert control over federal policies and push forward on his vision of a more sovereign America.
One of the first steps Trump will take is declaring a national border emergency. This will set the stage for a comprehensive plan to secure the southern border, including working with the military and Homeland Security to eliminate criminal cartels. Trump will also reinstate the “Remain in Mexico” policy and take action to speed up the process of sending illegal immigrants back to their home countries. He’ll order the construction of a new section of the border wall to further solidify security.
On the energy front, Trump plans to “fully unleash” Alaska’s resources, addressing everything from fracking and pipelines to liquefied natural gas. His energy policies will reverse Biden-era restrictions, aiming to restore U.S. energy independence.
In terms of federal bureaucracy, Trump will sign an executive order that strengthens presidential control over federal workers. He’ll institute a merit-based hiring system and even suspend security clearances for 51 national security officials involved in the Hunter Biden laptop controversy.
One of the more notable actions will be ending all DEI programs across the federal government, which Trump has long criticized for promoting divisiveness. Additionally, he’ll implement a hiring freeze for government employees and push for greater control over foreign aid and NGO funding.
Trump is also focused on reducing the cost of living for American families. A presidential memo will instruct all government agencies to roll back any regulations that increase costs for consumers, starting what’s expected to be a large-scale deregulation effort during his second term.
The overarching goal of Trump’s Day One actions is simple: “promises made, promises kept.” His first executive orders will reflect his commitment to delivering on what he promised to voters, with an emphasis on ending government overreach and restoring American greatness.
Trump also teased a move related to TikTok, which has faced legal battles in the U.S. He plans to sign an order that would extend the time before legal prohibitions take effect, giving room to negotiate terms to protect national security.
With all these changes planned, the Trump administration’s first day in office is shaping up to be a “shock and awe” moment, with historic executive actions aimed at reshaping the country. As White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt put it, "The Golden Age of America will begin" once Trump takes the oath of office.
Any Thoughts"catch and release" is part of our actual law. How does one go about changing such without congress?
I'll be looking for the actions as will 70 some odd other million people that will put more money in our pockets.
You know the buttload of promises he made about the grocery prices? Insurance prices? Energy prices? Interest rates? Mortgage rates, housing prices, rent, you know those things...why aren't they mentioned?
People voted with the economy /inflation as their number one concern and it looks like it is being ignored. Chasing immigrants through McDonald's kitchen isn't going to do it for most of us.He is not modifying "catch and release" but intends to enforce its end. From what I understand, President Trump plans to sign an executive order on his first day in office to terminate the policy, which currently allows migrants apprehended at the U.S. border to be released into the community while awaiting their immigration hearings.
Trump ran heavily on addressing immigration issues, as well as other significant concerns, with the economy being at the top of his list. I am not yet certain if the executive orders he signs today will directly contribute to improving the economy. However, I am more than willing to wait a few days, review all the executive orders, and then assess whether his initial actions will effectively bring about a stronger economy.
I am just overjoyed to see a man in the White House who comes in with an agenda I can fully support."catch and release" is part of our actual law."
No it's not. It's a policy.
Give me the statute.Why don't you look these things up yourself before you make such bold statements? Obviously you're familiar with the law...
U.S. law permits asylum seekers to stay in the country while their application is being reviewed by immigration authorities.
This policy, which is part of the immigration law will not be changed without an act of Congress. Any such orders by Trump will be quickly slapped down by the court. Absolutely no doubt about it
https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refu … %20asylum.
https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil. … %20sought.Catch and release can be interpreted many ways.
The practice of catching people crossing the border illegally and taking them to migrant detention centers is a common reference.
If they cross illegally they need to be deported and not taken to a migrant detention center.
If they go to a legitimate port of entry and fill out a form to seek asylum; that is not considered catch and release.
I'll be kicking back watching chaos theory unfold while entropy seeks to predict the future. It will prove to be interesting.
Yes, and Musk bringing the Hitler Salute on day one.
Make America's Reich great again!The hitler salute?
Puh...leese!
Only people with an agenda would see it that way.
The rest of us saw it as Elon Musk giving his heart to the audience.You can give your heart to the audience a million ways. Musk is intelligent enough to know the significance of the Hitler salute. So yes, this was a deliberate Nazi salute and giving a clear message to his extreme right wing followers that he is with them.
What a sad bunch… truly pitiful, aren't they? I can only imagine how devastating it must feel to see everything they believe in completely dismantled.
Musk, on the other hand, was clearly connecting with the crowd in a heartfelt way. He radiated joy and hope, a true testament to his character.
This man is undeniably a humanitarian. A bit of research would show just how often he reaches out to help others. As for these leftists, it seems they’ve missed the memo— their power to cancel is gone, swept away alongside their "woke" nonsense.So, you have no problem with bringing a Nazi salute as a gesture of connecting to the crowd?
Musk did not make a Nazi salute. He said this is from my heart and moved his hand away from his heart. There is a video of Walz doing the same thing in his poor attempt to animate a Kamala crowd and the MSM said nothing. Are you going to believe all of the lies that the media feeds you now? I guess you have no problem with accepting lies?
Give me a link to the video of Walz and perhaps I will make a different judgment.
As said, there are a thousand ways to show your gratitude. To choose this particular one is in the tradition of fascism. Musk is not stupid, he knows this.You can do your own homework if you want to find it. It is out there.
I realize Walz has admitted he is stupid, which made him qualified to be on the ticket with Kamala, but I disagree that Musk was making a Nazi salute. I am not surprised that liars like AOC and the media presented it as such to gullible people who fall for thier stupidity.I'm sorry, but people can say there is a video out there that ... But the person who claims has to come with the evidence. If someone claims aliens exist, they have to come with the evidence and not say, the truth is out there, do your own research.
But besides that. Musk is just like Trump a person who likes controversies. And so it's quite obvious that he knew that his Nazi salute would be the talk of the town. As said he could have given his gratitude in a million ways but he chose a provocative one.
There are countless videos on social media showing politicians and celebrities making the same gesture. What really disgusts me is the attitude that allows people to defame others simply because they have a keyboard. In my view, this kind of mindset is unacceptable. It's harmful and destructive to society as a whole.
Your words "so you" are very presumptuous. My comment ---What a sad bunch… truly pitiful, aren't they? I can only imagine how devastating it must feel to see everything they believe in completely dismantled.
Musk, on the other hand, was clearly connecting with the crowd in a heartfelt way. He radiated joy and hope, a true testament to his character.
This man is undeniably a humanitarian. A bit of research would show just how often he reaches out to help others. As for these leftists, it seems they’ve missed the memo— their power to cancel is gone, swept away alongside their "woke" nonsense.
MY context clearly shows I do not in any respect agree that Musk was giving a nazi solution. So how dare you assume I would have no problem with him or anyone else bringing a Nazi salute as a gesture of connecting to the crowd? You are out of bounds!
I didn't interpret Elons gesture as a Nazi salute. Many people, including politicians and celebrities, have raised their hands in similar gestures.
What bothers me more is the way some feel entitled to openly criticize this man for something they deem so egregious. I realize my view is strong but is my opinion.As said Sharlee. Musk could have given his gratitude in a million different ways. He choose to use the Nazi salute. For whatever reason. Probably to piss people off. But even that's not reason enough to do so at the first day of office.
You can read something else in it. Fine. But the effect of the salute is giving extreme right supporters of the Republican party a joyful smile on their face.
As a politician (And Musk is one the moment he took the job at the DOGE) he should stay away of any symbolic gestures that could even be interpreted as a Nazi sympathizer.
Because the effect is that people will copy him. Do you want more people in the country giving this salute as a sign of "connecting with the crowd"?You certainly tend to presume you know what others feel and think. I find that a trait I can't abide by. I will walk away from this conversation.
You have to let go of this blatent lie that Musk choose to use the Nazi salute. That accusation has been debunked again, and again, and again.
This is from the Anti Defamation League (ADL)
"But the Jewish group most famous for fighting antisemitism had a different take.
“It seems that Elon Musk made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute,” the Anti-Defamation League wrote Monday in a statement on Musk’s own social media platform X, referring to Musk’s outstretched-arm movement that came as he was thanking his supporters."
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemi … cle-838694
I would say that believing made-up lies is typical of the left, but it is typical of them.
Trump has promised to "drill, baby, drill." But presidents don't decide how much oil gets drilled in the U.S. — oil companies do. He cannot order more oil production - we're not Saudi Arabia. This is a global industry. Prices are set by a global supply and demand, and companies watch that very closely. And then there is a key constituency here that does not want to drill, baby, drill, as trump wants, and that is Wall Street because if oil companies drill so much that the supply of oil is greater than demand for oil, prices would plummet, and that would be bad for investors' returns....
No, but by their policies they can influence oil drilling. Here is a good article from Forbes on it.
"In the U.S., energy policies can change dramatically with each new president, creating uncertainty for industries like oil and gas.
One administration might push for more drilling and energy production, while the next might impose tighter restrictions. This “policy ping-pong” can make it difficult for companies to plan long-term, but it also creates opportunities for the industry to stay strong and competitive, regardless of who’s in charge.
Take President Biden’s recent decision to ban new offshore drilling in over 625 million acres of federal waters. This is part of his push for more environmentally friendly energy policies, and it has been celebrated by environmental groups. However, this move has raised concerns in the oil and gas industry, as it limits access to valuable offshore drilling areas that could otherwise boost domestic energy production.
But here’s the thing—this kind of decision may not last forever. Just as President Biden tightened regulations, President-elect Donald Trump promised to reverse these restrictions on his first day in office. If he follows through, it could open up vast new areas for drilling and create a more favorable environment for oil and gas companies.
If Trump takes office and rolls back Biden’s drilling restrictions, it could give the oil and gas industry a huge boost. The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (the law Biden used to limit drilling) can also be used by Trump to open up areas for new drilling.
For oil and gas companies, more drilling opportunities are a chance to increase production, improve profits, and help meet both domestic and global energy needs. Trump’s focus on energy dominance—where the U.S. produces and exports more oil and gas—aligns with the industry’s goals of increasing output and reducing reliance on foreign oil.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbook … -industry/President Trump seems to feel that the "drill, baby, drill" approach will benefit Americans and America by increasing domestic oil production, which he believes will lead to lower energy costs, job creation, and greater economic stability. He argues that by fully tapping into U.S. oil reserves, the country can become more energy independent, reducing reliance on foreign sources and strengthening national security.
This approach, in his view, would also allow American companies to compete more effectively in global markets, driving economic growth and creating new jobs. Additionally, Trump believes that exporting oil will be beneficial for the U.S. by expanding its role in the global energy market. He sees the ability to export oil as a way to increase the country's influence in energy production and trade, creating new opportunities for American companies and workers.
By tapping into global markets, the U.S. could benefit from higher demand for its oil and secure better prices for its energy products. This, he argues, would lead to more economic growth and strengthen the U.S. position as a leading energy producer globally. Trump also believes that increasing domestic oil production will help bring down gas prices and reduce utility costs for American households, making everyday life more affordable. Ultimately, Trump views both increased drilling and oil exports as key components of his strategy to make America more energy-independent, and economically prosperous, and to reduce the financial burden on American families.
Not sure why oil companies will object to exporting more oil to other nations, and padding their bottom line.You clearly lack an understanding of how the the oil industry works.
Oil companies already have record output. The United States is already the world's largest producer of oil and gas, and has been for the last 4 years.
Among the notable skeptics is ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods. "I don't know that there's an opportunity to unleash a lot of production in the near term," he said to Semafor. Most companies are already "optimizing their production." He doesn't see a need to expand drilling, either. "I don't think today that production in the U.S. is constrained."
"We're not going to see anybody in 'drill, baby, drill' mode," Liam Mallon, head of Exxon's upstream division, told the Energy Intelligence Forum conference in London.
Not sure why oil companies will object to exporting more oil to other nations, and padding their bottom line.
Considering supply and demand doesn't work that way, can you explain this comment?
https://theweek.com/business/economy/bi … acking-gasAre you familiar with the concept of market share?
President Trump emphasized the goal of making the U.S. energy independent and a dominant force in global oil markets. He advocated for policies that would increase U.S. oil production and exports, such as opening up more federal lands for drilling and rolling back environmental regulations. His approach aimed at reducing reliance on foreign oil and potentially making the U.S. a leading exporter of oil to other nations. W.e will need to produce much more oil to export. The oil companies are overjoyed at selling more oil.
By increasing U.S. production, Trump also seeks to reduce the influence of oil-producing nations like Iran, which faced sanctions under his last administration. The broader strategy is to position the U.S. as a major player in the global energy market and challenge other oil-exporting countries, including those in the Middle East, which had historically held significant market power. The aim is to create both economic leverage and geopolitical influence.
U.S. oil companies were generally supportive of Donald Trump’s energy policies during his last term, particularly his focus on deregulation, expanding drilling opportunities, and promoting energy independence. Under his administration, oil companies benefited from reduced environmental regulations, such as the rollback of restrictions on methane emissions and the easing of drilling limitations on public lands. These actions were seen as ways to lower operational costs and boost profitability.
Trump’s push for increased oil exports would also align with the interests of major U.S. oil companies, as it would give them the opportunity to tap into a larger share of global markets. By positioning the U.S. as a top oil exporter, companies could access higher-demand regions, especially as global energy markets continue to evolve. We will be supplying more of what is demanded.You're completely ignoring the reality of the situation. Repeating trumps erroneous talking points does not make them have validity. This is not Trump's first term. The need to ramp up oil production is simply not there and there is no desire among corporations to do so...
Big Oil doesn't need to 'drill, baby, drill'
Trump wants to expand production. Oil companies already have record output....
https://theweek.com/business/economy/bi … acking-gas
Trump's Oil and Gas Donors Don't Really Want to 'Drill, Baby, Drill' — Commodities Roundup
https://www.morningstar.com/news/dow-jo … es-roundup
Oil Companies, Investors Talk Down Trump’s ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’ as Prices Stay Low, Exploration Budgets Shrink
https://www.theenergymix.com/oil-compan … ts-shrink/
Drill, Baby, Drill’ Is A Political Slogan, Not A Business Plan...
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidblack … ness-plan/
“In some ways, I think the ‘drill, baby, drill,’ is old,” according to Carolyn Kissane, associate dean of the Center for Global Affairs at New York University Kissane says. “It’s already happened or happening, and so the next administration comes in confronting a market that doesn’t necessarily need more supply.”
https://texassignal.com/drill-baby-drill-not-so-fast/
Drill, baby, drill? Former big oil exec says that’s exactly what the industry doesn’t need....
https://sourcenm.com/2024/10/31/drill-b … esnt-need/
He's a day late and a dollar short... And as usual his followers have no clue
So who are we declaring war against? Mexico?
The Alien Enemies Act can be invoked by the president without a declaration of war if a foreign government threatens or invades the United States. However, the president must wait for Congress to declare war before invoking the act based on a declared war. Anyone?You sound like one of the Boers predicting chaos when Nelson Mandela took office.
Trump unveils Stargate, the ‘largest AI infrastructure project in history--- America on the move. Day two
Trump is certainly working to keep up with technology and bring tons of jobs to America. He is a man with a wonderful vision. By partnering with major companies like OpenAI, Softbank, and Oracle, the Stargate project could significantly advance AI infrastructure in the U.S., positioning the country as a leader in the tech space. This vision also promises to create thousands of high-tech jobs, benefiting the American workforce. The involvement of influential CEOs like Sam Altman, Masayoshi Son, and Larry Ellison gives the project the expertise and financial backing it needs to succeed, and it demonstrates Trump’s commitment to keeping the U.S. competitive on the global stage.
I think this project is a major step forward for the U.S. in terms of AI infrastructure. The scale and potential of the Stargate initiative are impressive, with a $100 billion initial investment and the possibility of reaching $500 billion. It's exciting to see that this collaboration with major players like OpenAI, Softbank, and Oracle could create thousands of American jobs, especially in cutting-edge industries tied to AI. Building data centers across the U.S. is a smart move for both technological growth and job creation. With the involvement of such influential CEOs, the project has the backing it needs to succeed, and I’m hopeful it will lead to advancements that keep the U.S. competitive on the global stage.
OpenAI, co-founded by Sam Altman, has become a leader in AI research and development, working on cutting-edge technologies like GPT and DALL·E. Their work is transforming industries from healthcare to entertainment. SoftBank, led by Masayoshi Son, has been a major force in global tech investments, with its Vision Fund backing a wide range of transformative companies in AI, robotics, and telecom. Oracle, under the leadership of Larry Ellison, is a giant in cloud computing and enterprise software, and their infrastructure and data services will be crucial for supporting the AI data centers. With these three influential companies driving the Stargate project, it’s poised for success in advancing AI technology.Not sure what Trump even has to do with this? Some of these data centers have already been under construction. These are three corporations joining together.... Seems like their alliance didn't happen overnight.
A little research would have shown you that The initial plans for Stargate go back to the Biden administration...
Biden accomplished nothing—period. He seemed confused and brought more problems than solutions. In my opinion, you're trying to give credit where none is deserved. But that's fine; I understand it’s easier to take that route than to confront the reality of the administration you supported.
Biden accomplished nothing—period. He seemed confused and brought more problems than solutions. In contrast, Trump brought in the funding and the support needed for the inverters, raising an impressive $500 billion to ensure the project’s initiation under Trump's leadership. As usual, Biden was a day late and a buck short, unable to deliver what was necessary to get the job done.
Unfortunately, Biden could not get the funding or trust of the investors as Trump quickly did.Stargate has nothing to do with trump. Those corporate plans were already in the works, it's well documented... He is jumping in trying to make it look like his actions led to something when they didn't... As per usual.
The initial equity funders in Stargate are SoftBank, OpenAI, Oracle, and MGX. SoftBank and OpenAI are the lead partners for Stargate, with SoftBank having financial responsibility and OpenAI having operational responsibility. Masayoshi Son will be the chairman.
According to the Associated Press, the initial plans for Stargate go back to the Biden administration. Tech news outlet The Information first reported on the project in March 2024. OpenAI has long relied on Microsoft data centers to build its AI systems, but it has increasingly signaled an interest in building its own data centers.
Trump had nothing to do with any of this...
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/h … 048852.phpHe secured the funding necessary to bring the project to life, while Biden couldn't even get close to the amounts required to get it off the ground. Big business had no confidence in him or his administration. Now, buckle up—you're about to see massive investments come in again, and on a grand scale. Trump is eliminating the regulations that were holding them back from investing. It's clear our views are miles apart—I honestly can't even begin to understand where yours are coming from.
"He secured the funding necessary to bring the project to life"
This is not correct. He did not secure any funding... The data centers were already being built before Trump came into office. Again do some research
"Ellison noted that the data centers are already under construction with 10 being built so far.... the project goes back to 2024."
I didn't mention Biden at all... The leaders of these three corporations already had this in motion at least a year ago as well as their own funding... You act as if Trump is funding this venture?
I shared my view--- no interest in yours.
And there is this ---- "
The article from Business Insider explains that the Stargate project, a collaboration between OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank, was announced under Donald Trump. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, highlighted that Stargate could potentially lead to the creation of artificial general intelligence (AGI) in the U.S. and would generate hundreds of thousands of jobs. Altman mentioned that the project likely wouldn't have been possible without Trump's leadership, noting that big business had more confidence under his administration, which helped secure the necessary funding." https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-alt … 2025-1?utm
Oh well---
Zuck, you really are a weenie....
Meta Faces Backlash As Democrat-Related Terms Disappear From Instagram...
Users across Meta's platforms report two distinct issues — Instagram's blocking of Democrat-related search terms and Facebook's unexpected behavior regarding presidential account follows. Both situations have emerged during a sensitive period of political transition, leading to increased scrutiny of the company's content moderation practices.
On Instagram, for example, users attempting to search for "Democrats" are presented with a message stating "we've hidden these results," with the platform declaring that "results for the term you searched for may contain sensitive content," according to the BBC. Mashable independently verified this issue, confirming that the same message appears whether accessing Instagram via mobile or desktop platforms. The messaging and restrictions appear when users search for either the term itself, or related hashtags.
The hashtag restrictions extend beyond basic terms. TechIssuesToday reports that searches for "#DNC" also return no results, while "#RNC" searches function normally. The site independently verified these restrictions, documenting that searches for both "#Democrat" and "#DNC" trigger the "sensitive content" warning message.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/esatdedeza … instagram/Yes, you are correct and it is wrong. Why didnt I see anyone from the Dems complaining about this when it was happening to the right though?
From the article in question ---- "Meta has acknowledged these issues, providing a statement to the BBC — "We're aware of an error affecting hashtags across the political spectrum and we are working quickly to resolve it."
Guess this says it all... I must also agree with your sentiment--- Hypocrisy is obvious regarding Democrats. No problem when the pendulum swings their way.I dont think I saw any Dems complaining when Alexa was programmed to answer "I cannot recommend any specific candidate" when asked for reasons to vote for Trump, but then when asked for reasons to vote for Kamala was programmed to say that she is a strong candidate with a proven record.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/artificial-int … mp/3323148
Trump’s the biggest pathological liar on the planet. And despite what corporate media wants you to believe, his second term is already a miserable failure in many ways.
Trump had to move his oligarch convention indoors, because he knew the crowd size would be abysmal. And his rant had 27% less viewers than Biden had in 2021. People just aren’t showing up, or tuning in, to the deranged clown show like they used to.
On top of that, there are major promises he made that he hasn’t delivered on.
The war in Ukraine hasn’t ended yet. Trump punted on his key campaign pledge to impose tariffs on Mexico and Canada. His meaningless talking points, like making Canada the 51st state, just disappeared.
Trump hasn’t lowered the cost of goods—like eggs—or done anything that truly matters to American families. Corporate media should be calling him out for this at a constant.
But they wouldn’t want to upset their billionaire bosses, or their wannabe-dictator, by printing the truth. Which is that Trump's policies are garbage—mere cheap catchphrases and slogans, that lead to nothing.
Trump is now, and always will be, a gigantic failure. We will never tolerate his deceit, or let corporate media off the hook for sanewashing him.Can you please note where Trump helped to obtain this funding? He held a press conference to try and bask in the glow of something that had already been in the works... and it looks like Altman's arch nemesis Musk thinks differently...
"Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk cast doubt Wednesday on the ambitious $500 billion Project Stargate, hours after its announcement, claiming lead investor SoftBank Group has “well under $10B secured.”
They don't actually have the money,” Musk said.
WHAT?!
“SoftBank has well under $10B secured. I have that on good authority.”
Uh oh....
https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equiti … and-openai
I watched the press conference where the three investors pledged funds. I will take them at their word until I see a problem. You, dig around and see what pops up on social media.
Are you for or against Musk today? But the fact still remains that Trump has done absolutely nothing to secure any type of funding. Fantastic if the tech bros do something to bring jobs to the country but Trump weaseling in on it is laughable... The man bankrupted casinos.
Perhaps watch the press conference and you will visually see and hear the three businessmen confirm the funds their companies will make to the project. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHi32V0MqBc
I have no reason not to believe these three men's intentions. They certainly are respected in their fields of business. You surf around on social media, I will stick with the fellows who promised the funds...
You are free to believe what suits your narrative. Done with this conversation, no interest in furthering it.Are you suggesting these three well-known business men would stand before a camera and lie? Wow this is rich
He also walked it back--- and let me remind you Musk is not the president. Again you feel these men were lying?
Where did he walk it back? And yes, musk is basically co president. He is working currently out of an office in the White House. His money guarantees that his words and actions have enormous weight and implications in the country. I mean he certainly does have more of an agenda than the one there calling the VP... He appears to have no agenda whatsoever.
I'm not understanding why you claim that I said these men were lying? Where do you find that? I made note of Elon musk's statement that the men did not have the funding...
They don't actually have the money," Musk said on X late Tuesday night in response to OpenAI's announcement of the project....Musk said he had it on "good authority" that SoftBank secured "well under" $10 billion.
Certainly you're not implying that musk is lying??I’ve moved past whatever Musk said—he’s not the president. My focus is on keeping up with today’s reports and what the president is currently doing. If you want to keep dwelling on Musk’s comments, that’s up to you, but I’ll be posting updates on what Trump is accomplishing today—it’s actually hard to keep up with everything he’s doing. Honestly, I don’t think we’re a good fit for conversation. I live in the present and don’t have the patience for rehashing old, insignificant statements.
I have no idea why Muskm made that statement--- I offered you a link to the press conference where the 3 investors made the claims that they will be investing together a sum of 500 billion. I take them at their word. Not sure why you are dwelling on Musk. Odd... I don't care what Musk says. as I said he is just another citizen. Not interested in your concerns regarding Elon Musk's statements.
I am very pleased to have now over one trillion in investments that Trump has accumulated in the past two days, I will let you worry about Elon.
I am busy keeping up with facts, not blurbs. One trillion in two days... That's what gets my attention.
Promise to send troops has been kept.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon said Wednesday it has begun deploying 1,500 active-duty troops to help secure the southern border, putting in motion plans President Donald Trump laid out in executive orders shortly after he took office to crack down on immigration.
Acting Defense Secretary Robert Salesses said the troops will fly helicopters to assist Border Patrol agents and help in the construction of barriers. The Pentagon also will provide military aircraft for Department of Homeland Security deportation flights for more than 5,000 detained migrants.
The number of troops and their mission may soon change, Salesses said in a statement. “This is just the beginning,” he said.
“In short order, the department will develop and execute additional missions in cooperation with DHS, federal agencies, and state partners to address the full range of threats outlined by the President at our nation’s borders,” Salesses said.
Defense officials added that the department is prepared to provide many more troops if asked, including up to 2,000 more Marines.
Officials said there was no plan now for the troops to do law enforcement, which would put them in a dramatically different role for the first time in decades. Any decision on this would be made by the White House, they said.
The active duty forces will join the roughly 2,500 U.S. National Guard and Reserve forces already there. Until this deployment, there were no active duty troops working along the roughly 2,000-mile border.
A couple hundred troops started moving to the border earlier Wednesday, according to a senior military official. The military official and a defense official briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity to provide additional details on the deployment. The troops will include 500 Marines from Camp Pendleton in California, and the remainder will be Army.
The U.S. forces being used for the deportation flights are separate from the 1,500 deployed for the border mission. Those flights will involve four Air Force aircraft based in San Diego an El Paso, along with crews and maintenance personnel.
Troops have done similar duties in support of Border Patrol agents in the past, when both Trump and former President Joe Biden sent active duty troops to the border.
Troops are prohibited by law from doing law enforcement duties under the Posse Comitatus Act, but that may change. Trump has directed through executive order that the incoming secretary of defense and incoming homeland security chief report back within 90 days if they think an 1807 law called the Insurrection Act should be invoked. That would allow those troops to be used in civilian law enforcement on U.S. soil.Can you compare to us the numbers at the border currently with those when Trump left office?
From what I see, Trump is creating a dystopian fantasyland...The New York Times reported Saturday that unauthorized border crossings were at their lowest level in years, migrant shelters in Mexican border cities were far below capacity, and movement through the Darién Gap between Colombia and Panama—which migrants from Venezuela, Haiti, and other countries cross through—had fallen sharply.... Yet we need troops?
the border today has less illegal crossings than when Trump left office... He doesn't seem to understand the current situation. In a lot of ways, trump seems to be stuck in 2016
"Unauthorized apprehensions at the U.S. southern border have decreased significantly in the past six months — by more than 70% compared with the same period in 2023, according to Customs and Border Protection.
The U.S. government attributes the dip to an executive order issued last summer by President Biden that severely restricts asylum requests from migrants attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border with no authorization. Another factor is the implementation of the CBP One app, and experts say the Mexican national guard cracking down on migrants heading north is playing a key role, as well."
https://www.npr.org/2025/01/15/nx-s1-52 … u-s-mexicoThis is just being reported, and I only know what the AP article shared. Hopefully, we’ll learn more in the days ahead.
Recent statements from President Trump and Border Czar Tom Homan indicate a heightened focus on deportation efforts. On his first full day in office, President Trump oversaw an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation that resulted in the arrest of 308 illegal migrants in sanctuary cities nationwide. Notably, detainees included individuals with serious criminal backgrounds, such as a Haitian gang member and a Venezuelan national convicted of attempted murder.Trump’s designated border czar, Tom Homan, told Fox News on Wednesday that ICE had conducted 308 arrests across the country....
For comparison, in September of 2024, the latest month for which data is available, ICE arrested 282 migrants per day.... Not much different.When he arrests four times as many in a week or two are you also going to come on here and comment on that?
LOL not really the shock and awe that was promised... It's basically business as usual. What I'm looking for is how many citizens will be caught up in these raids? How many with legal rights under immigration law will be caught up? How many huge lawsuits will ensue? That's what I'm looking for. Trump's people are buffoons so there will certainly be huge mistakes.
I am sure that has never happened in the past under a Dem like Obama! Of course you would be unwilling to accept that, right?
It's been a long time since Obama was president... I prefer to stay with current times. Trump is the president.
Yes, so why do so many of you delusional Dems still think he is in charge?
You are sure good at throwing around verbal insults, Doc. It is the thing that I loath about any right-winger is that they can't take it but they sure can dish it out.
Trump is now the target and is on the front page and I will hold him accountable for everything he says and does to the nth degree.So why did she start the conversation by saying that ICE did not arrest many more people than Biden on the first day. I am not sure if the deluded among you realize this but Biden is no longer president. Therefore, according to her logic, no comparisons should be made to the past.
The thing that is so sad about delusional leftists is that you cannot live up to your word. You compare ICEs first day to the past, but when I bring up the past you have to point out that Obama is no longer president.
Get real.The past and what occurred there in will not be allowed as a excuse for Trump's failure to deliver and that is as real as its gets.....
Okay, fair enough. And when he does deliver on his promises you are going to be on here telling us about them? I am looking forward to that.
He just secured an additional 600 billion in business investment this morning, bringing his total to over a trillion in U.S. investments in just three days. From now on, I'll focus on highlighting his achievements, as I refuse to let any of them go unrecognized. I hope you'll share your thoughts on this remarkable accomplishment. These investments will drive job growth and generate more revenue for the U.S. Plus the AI investment will work to make our Nation number one in the AI technology.
Saudi Arabia intends to invest $600 billion in US, crown prince says during call with Trump
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/20 … trump-mbs/
Trump announces up to $500 billion in private sector AI infrastructure investment https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-anno … nvestment/As for the Saudi Investment, on the surface it sounds intersting, but what has Trump sold out in exchange and why are the Saudis being so magnanimous all of the sudden? I don't trust that anything good can come from Trump and I will need to dig deeper. But On The Surface, sounds enticing.
As for the AI investment, an interesting development is the controversy between Bannon and Musk, who will prevail and with what outcome?The AI deal was well explained at the president's press conference by the three businessmen who are funding the many projects. I hope you took the time to even have a look at the video. This as is close as we can coming to facts about what they are putting up a fund for.
I don't pay attention to the going on with Musk or Bannon. I am having a hard enough time keeping up with Trump's doings.The oracle/soft bank deal has been in the works, since before Trump took office. Putting on a press conference is about the only thing you can give him credit for. And the Saudi "deal"? Not a detail to be found..
MEANWHILE...
Willowarbor wrote:
"The oracle/soft bank deal has been in the works, since before Trump took office. Putting on a press conference is about the only thing you can give him credit for. And the Saudi "deal"? Not a detail to be found.."
Divert much?
I have this saved so easy to post over and over------ Once again --- "As of January 23, 2025, there is no publicly available information indicating that Sam Altman (CEO of OpenAI), Larry Ellison (Chairman of Oracle), or Masayoshi Son (CEO of SoftBank) have offered similar funding or investments to the Biden administration. Their recent collaboration, the $500 billion "Stargate" AI infrastructure project, was announced in partnership with former President Donald Trump.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
While these leaders have been involved in various technology and infrastructure initiatives over the years, there are no specific record or media reports of a comparable joint investment being proposed or undertaken with the Biden administration. It's important to note that such high-profile investments are typically well-publicized, and the absence of reports suggests that no similar offers were made during Biden's tenure."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAHOLuOvZXYThis is a deal between private corporations, what do you mean "no offers were made?" A trump is not giving money to these corporations.... These people are making investments in their own corporations. At least one of the data centers in the deal was under construction last year in Texas....
"From the associated press...Ellison noted that the data centers are already under construction with 10 being built so far. building has already started and the project goes back to 2024."
Not sure what type of credit you're attempting to give Trump here... And I've never said that there was any joint venture with Biden either. This deal doesn't and never has had anything to do with our government
Pretty silly--- Seerm when you can't defend your comments you spin, you divert.
Buffoons? From where I stand, it's certainly not Trump's supporters who look like buffoons. I think the majority can decide the truth on that matter. You might want to take a moment to reflect on how much leftist nonsense has been outright rejected. And as for the idea that Trump is doing nothing—are you kidding? He’s accomplished a ton, almost too much to keep up with. Just look at the over $1 trillion in investments he’s brought in over the past few days. Two major deals stand out:
The $500 billion agreement with foreign tech giants to establish advanced manufacturing facilities in the U.S., creating tens of thousands of high-paying jobs.
A $600 billion partnership with global energy leaders to expand U.S. energy infrastructure, boosting energy independence and exports.
Hard to keep up ---
REUTER Jan 23--- The $600 billion deal refers to Saudi Arabia's plan to invest $600 billion into the United States over the next four years, as announced by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a phone call with President Donald Trump.
This investment aims to expand trade and investment opportunities between the two nations, capitalizing on anticipated economic reforms under the Trump administration. While specific details regarding the allocation of these funds have not been disclosed, the commitment underscores the strong economic ties between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia."
Can't wait until what comes tomorrow or maybe even later today.
Maybe have a look at how many were being picked up before Biden tossed his hat in the ring. LOL
Google U ----- Before September 2024, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) made daily migrant arrests that varied by year, depending on the administration’s enforcement policies. Here are some relevant stats from previous years, focusing on ICE arrests:
2023:
In 2023, ICE made an average of 3,600 arrests per month, which translates to about 120 arrests per day. This was a significant drop from prior years due to policy changes and priorities under the Biden administration, which focused more on apprehending individuals with serious criminal records or national security concerns, rather than conducting broad sweeps.
2022:
In 2022, the average number of ICE arrests increased somewhat, as ICE made around 150 arrests per day. This was a year when border enforcement, especially along the southern border, remained a major topic of focus.
2021:
The number of ICE arrests was significantly lower in 2021 compared to previous years, with an average of 100-120 arrests per day in the first half of the year. This was partly due to the new policies under President Biden’s administration, which prioritized arrests of individuals who posed a public safety risk or were involved in national security threats.
2020:
During the Trump administration in 2020, ICE made an average of 1,000-1,200 arrests per day, with a large emphasis on detaining individuals for immigration violations. The overall number was influenced by the enforcement priorities of the previous administration, which aimed to remove individuals who were in the country illegally, regardless of criminal history.
2019:
ICE made an average of 1,000-1,500 arrests per day during 2019, which saw large-scale enforcement operations in various cities across the U.S. The Trump administration emphasized removing undocumented immigrants, with a focus on individuals who were in the country illegally.
In summary, arrests in 2024 were notably higher, with 282 arrests per day in September. WHY?I would have, with all the uster, expected Homan to vastly surpass the number of arrests under Biden in September. I'd consider it a fail...
Yikes! More investments on day day 4... $600 BILLION! --- Trump is working on ringback our economy, and he is doing it with great speed.Problem solver, not problem creator.
"Dubai, United Arab Emirates — Saudi Arabia's crown prince said Thursday the kingdom wants to invest $600 billion in the United States over the next four years, comments that came after President Trump put a price tag on returning to the kingdom as his first foreign trip.
Mr. Trump's 2017 trip to Saudi Arabia upended a tradition of U.S. presidents first heading to the United Kingdom as their first trip abroad. It also underscored his administration's close ties to the rulers of the oil-rich Gulf states as his eponymous real estate company has pursued deals across the region as well.
The comments from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, reported early Thursday by the state-run Saudi Press Agency, came in a phone call with Mr. Trump."Where are the details of this? Specifically what actions did Trump take?
"The readout didn't elaborate on where those investments and trade could be placed.".
Pretty vague...
Trump speaking to the world economic forum.... Says that inflation under Biden was the highest in our country's history.... Can one of his followers fact check that??
The official inflation numbers don’t always reflect the reality people feel. The CPI peaked at 9.1% in June 2022, but that doesn’t include the full weight of rising costs in housing, food, and energy, which hit people hard. If you factor those in, I wouldn’t be surprised if the "real" inflation people experienced was closer to some of the highest in history, maybe even rivaling the 1970s or earlier. It just feels like those everyday costs make the official numbers seem way off sometimes.
Forbes ---"In 2022, while the official Consumer Price Index (CPI) reported a peak inflation rate of 9.1% in June, some economists suggested that actual inflation could have been higher if measured using previous methodologies. For instance, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers indicated that, by applying the government's earlier formula, inflation might have reached approximately 18% in 2022"
Fact check what Biden felt about of preemptive pardons --- Appears he lied https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyfTheTpBEk
While you're at it maybe fact-check Biden's uncle getting eaten by canables.
Or maybe these lies-
The Afghanistan Withdrawal: Biden claimed that no one advised him to keep troops in Afghanistan. However, reports and testimony from military leaders, including Gen. Kenneth McKenzie and Gen. Mark Milley, indicated that they recommended leaving a residual force of 2,500 troops to prevent the collapse of the Afghan government.
Social Security and Medicare: Biden repeatedly accused Republicans of wanting to "end Social Security and Medicare." While some Republicans, like Sen. Rick Scott, proposed plans to sunset all federal programs after five years unless reauthorized, Biden’s blanket assertion that the GOP wants to eliminate these programs has been called misleading, as it misrepresents the full context of the proposals.
College Debt Forgiveness Funding: Biden claimed that his student loan forgiveness program was "paid for," implying that it would not add to the national deficit. However, the plan, as announced, would have required significant borrowing and would have added hundreds of billions of dollars to the federal debt without corresponding offsets.
Georgia's Voting Laws: Biden referred to Georgia's voting laws as "Jim Crow 2.0," claiming they were designed to suppress voter turnout. Critics noted that the law includes provisions that expanded early voting in some areas and ensured access to ballot drop boxes, which raised questions about the accuracy of his statement.
Inflation Reduction Act: Biden claimed the Inflation Reduction Act would reduce inflation. However, independent analyses, including those from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), indicated that the law would have a negligible or delayed impact on inflation, with its primary focus being on energy, climate, and healthcare initiatives.
These examples have been widely debated, with some defending Biden’s framing as political rhetoric and others accusing him of outright dishonesty. It often depends on how one interprets the facts and the context of his statements.
So what do you think of these lies? My point is perhaps presidents do lie... But some's deeds outweigh hyperbolic mistruths. I could list lie after lie of past presidents... They stretch the truth most politicians lie.
Where have you been?The highest inflation in the history of the country did not occur under the Biden administration....
He is continuing to lie by saying he had the cleanest water and air under his first administration... He did notHow unfortunate—LOL. In my view, it’s really disappointing that you focus so much on every word Trump says while overlooking his accomplishments. But I guess that’s just what you do... LOL. I’m sure you can gather a lot of material, but most people know that Trump tends to make hyperbolic statements. Yet, he still won—maybe it’s worth considering why. The left's ideologies were rejected, and many "woke" up to the fact that, for lack of a better word, they were wrong. Many people want America to return to its roots, and while the left had a brief period, they’ve been put back in their place, and it didn’t take long for Americans to make that happen. Just my view
One of Biodens many lies-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyfTheTpBEk
At some point you're going to have to acknowledge that Trump is currently the president
LOL, just like you did with Trump. I honestly can't think of any thread, not one, in the past couple of years where you didn’t divert the discussion to something about Trump. It’s kind of entertaining to see you avoid talking about Biden—oh wait, you never really did.
A federal judge temporarily blocked President Trump’s order seeking to end birthright citizenship for the children of many migrants, a major hit to one of the president’s Day 1 orders.
Uh oh.
U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenour, a Reagan appointee, agreed to a request from Washington and three other states, blocking the order from taking effect for 14 days.
“This is a blatantly unconstitutional order,” Coughenour told Justice Department attorney Brett Shumate. Coughenour, a Reagan appointee, said he’s been on the bench for more than four decades, and he couldn’t remember seeing another case where the action challenged was so clearly unconstitutional.
The judge went on..
"I have difficulty understanding how a member of the bar can state unequivocally that this is a constitutional order. It boggles my mind," Coughenour said. "Where were the lawyers when this decision was being made?"
So much for that nonsense"Bold Agenda to Reclaim America"
Unfortunately that is the lesser of two epic issues the Trump Administration has to deal with.
Undoing Biden's massive undermining of America's position and status amongst other Nations will be a far harder task to accomplish.
Never in the history of our country have we had worse leadership in foreign relations than under the Biden Administration... incompetence is not a strong enough word... sabotage of American interests and relationships... malfeasance and corruption unlike anything we have witnessed in our lifetimes will be exposed in the coming months, years ahead.
These people are traitors to the American people, the Citizens of the Nation, there is no wonder why Biden handed out Pardons to anyone he could think of.Where is the bold agenda on the bird flu? I mean besides muzzling the CDC and NIH? Hundreds of thousands of birds are being killed, it has spread to dairy cows and pets as well as people.... scientists say is just a mutation or two away from becoming a full-blown human pandemic...
“More cases of H5N1 are occurring in the United States than in any other country,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University in Providence, R.I. “Pausing our health communications at a time when states are scrambling to contain this virus is dangerously misguided. This will make America less healthy and will worsen the virus’s economic tolls.”
But I'm supposed to be interested in subverting the Constitution by blocking birth right citizenship? LOOK HERE NOT THEREHere... this gentlemen gives a good explanation of how Americans are getting poorer, and how bad things were under the Biden Administration.
If you are interested in learning about facts and not just Left-wing regurgitation points that are meaningless:
https://youtu.be/-OaEmXUrQ14?t=44Ken .. we are currently under the Trump administration. We are on the precipice of a bird flu epidemic. He is preventing the CDC and NIH from putting out information. I find it extremely odd to keep looking backward at the Biden administration... He is not in power right now... What is Trump doing to prevent Americans from getting poorer? Eggs are $12 a carton now...
So why did you tell us yesterday that Homan and ICE barely arrested any more illegal immigrants in the first day than Biden normally did under him? In case you were not aware of it, Biden is no longer president. Why are you comparing things that went on under him with Trump.
Could this be misdirection?Lol... You understand what Trump has promised in terms of raids? Certainly his progress will be charted. But you are redirecting from Trump currently hiding a devastating bird flu in this country...
Here's your bold agenda...
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka confirmed in a statement that the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement, commonly referred to as ICE, raided a local establishment in the city on Thursday.
Baraka said agents detained undocumented residents as well as citizens, without producing a warrant.
One of the detainees is a U.S. military veteran who suffered the indignity of having the legitimacy of his military documentation questioned,” Baraka said. “This egregious act is in plain violation of the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees ‘the right of the people be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures….’”
I hope the man sues the hell out of them...
U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver (NJ-10) said her office has reached out to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to get answers about what happened.
McIver, who represents Newark and several other municipalities, questioned how ICE agents were able to enter the businesses premises "without warrant and without justification.". Gosh, I wonder?
https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/ … 914061007/"agents detained undocumented residents as well as citizens"
So?
I often wonder if people on the left have much life experience.
If you are in a car pulled over for DUI, and you are simply a passenger, you will be detained by police until they complete their investigation. If the investigation takes over an hour you will be detained for over an hour.
Is this all the left has to complain about?So what that American citizen was detained? A veteran?...odd... And no warrant being produced? The legal ramifications will rain down on this one... What a bunch of inept buffoons... My advice to those with a little melanin in their skin.. carry your "papers" at all times...
I was promised that murderers and rapist would be taken off the streets but how many of these handful of individuals detained while they were packing seafood are murderers are rapists? How many produced their papers soon afterward?
Oh gosh I thought trump already secured this funding?!
OpenAI’s Stargate project reportedly doesn’t have the money it needs
Stargate — the massive infrastructure project to build data centers for OpenAI in the U.S. — lacks a fully developed plan and hasn’t secured funding yet, according to a report from the Financial Times.
Backed by OpenAI, SoftBank, Middle East AI fund MGX, and others, Stargate would funnel around $100 billion — and upward of $500 billion — into data centers to support OpenAI’s AI workloads. However, SoftBank and OpenAI each will only commit roughly $15 billion to the project to start, per the report. They and Stargate’s other backers hope to raise a combination of equity from existing investors and debt to reach the project’s lofty goals.
Billionaire and the head of President Donald Trump’s DOGE advisory commission, Elon Musk, has criticized Stargate on social media in recent days, claiming that the project doesn’t have the money it says it does. His comments are said to have raised the ire of top White House aids, despite Trump’s efforts to downplay them.
Pressed on Musk’s comments Thursday, trump told reporters, “I don’t know if they do, but you know, they’re putting up the money– the government’s not putting up anything, they’re putting up money. They’re very rich people, so I hope they do.”
Oh well...
But speaking of day one agenda... How long are Americans going to suffer? These will hit $15 by Monday
The Stargate Project, a $500 billion AI infrastructure initiative, was officially announced on January 21, 2025, during President Donald Trump's administration. This project is a joint venture involving OpenAI, SoftBank, Oracle, and MGX, aiming to develop advanced AI infrastructure in the United States over the next four years.
Prior to this announcement, there were reports indicating that the project lacked a fully developed plan under Biden, and had not yet secured funding.
FINANCIAL EXPRESS
However, recent developments suggest that substantial financial backing is now in place, with OpenAI and SoftBank each committing $19 billion to the initiative.
BUSINESS INSIDER
Therefore, the Stargate Project was all but stopped due to a lack of funds during President Biden's tenure; rather, it has been launched and is moving forward under President Trump's administration.
I guess this is one we will need to keep an eye on.I'm not sure why you keep bringing Biden into this.. this venture has nothing to do with the government then or now.... trump paraded these guys in front of a camera touting some big venture that they don't have the funding for.... Didn't have it then and don't have it now... Maybe they should just go away until they do?
Maybe he should use more of his camera time addressing the outrageous food prices Americans are struggling with.... Addressing the bird flu? Instead of having the CDC and NIH hide it?
Do you realize how many farms have had to kill their entire flock? Millions of farmed birds have been culled... Look here not there!I didn’t bring Biden into this issue—you did, several pages ago, when you mentioned that the project was started under Biden. Yes, Trump did present these three well-known businessmen at his press conference to explain the project and confirm their financial support to the tune of $500 billion. I’ll take them at their word; I don’t assume they’re not telling the truth. I find it refreshing and transparent that Trump comes out on camera to address the public. I’ve never been a fan of presidents who aren't willing to be seen and heard by the people. Trump definitely does this in spades. As for bird flu, it’s a disease that frequently causes farmers to cull chickens, and it’s something that consistently comes to our country.
As for bird flu, —it's an ongoing issue that affects farmers frequintly, especially since the flu seems to recur with some regularity. Culling infected poultry is often the necessary action to prevent the spread of the disease and protect both the farming industry and public health.
Here’s a general overview of bird flu outbreaks over the last ten years:
2015 Outbreak: One of the most significant avian flu outbreaks in recent history occurred in 2014-2015, primarily in the United States, Europe, and parts of Asia. The H5N2 strain led to the culling of millions of birds, particularly in the U.S. and Canada. This was a major outbreak in the U.S., causing substantial economic losses.
2016-2017 Outbreak: A significant resurgence of avian flu was seen in parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa. The H5N8 strain caused major disruptions, and many countries culled infected birds to prevent the spread of the virus.
2020-2021 Outbreak: The H5N8 strain resurfaced in several countries, including parts of Europe, the Middle East, and Russia. In 2021, the U.S. experienced outbreaks that led to the culling of thousands of birds in several states.
2022-2023 Outbreak: The most recent major outbreak occurred in late 2022 and into 2023. The H5N1 strain spread globally, leading to significant culling efforts across the world, especially in the U.S., Europe, and parts of Asia. This was one of the most widespread outbreaks in recent years, affecting both commercial and wild bird populations.
It's concerning and appears to be being handled as it is due to any time we have the threat. So am I concerned, not any more concerned than in previous years. Are you?When have eggs approached $15 a dozen? He hasn't said a word about the cost or the bird flu.... Too busy dismantling independent inspectors general and muzzling the CDC and NIH. No transparency whatsoever. Reminds me of the early days of covid when he didn't want any information released to the public. Just kept telling us it'll go away...
As far as Trump coming in front of the camera, it's a generally with misinformation or disinformation. Most of what he says is BS. He dragged these tech bros in front of the camera for effect. To give the American people the impression that some sort of huge investment will be happening but it's very clear they do not have all the funding. Trump even admitted that himself finally...
Trump...
“I don’t know if they do, but you know, they’re putting up the money– the government’s not putting up anything, they’re putting up money. They’re very rich people, so I hope they do.”
But I thought they had the money????Your comment is laughable--- he has been in office for 5 days. I am so satisfied with what he has done in 5 days, and can't wait for his second week. Go, Trump! The list is getting long on him completing his promise, he is working hyper speed. I can't keep up.
Regarding the AI investment, I trust the actual investors. All you have to do is listen to the press conference—they clearly stated what each would be contributing. If you think they’re lying, take it up with them. If you’re just ruminating or stirring things up, move along.Well Trump says he "hopes they do".
I don't think Trump has actually accomplished anything that directly affects the pockets of Americans.
Trump has had a busy week--- and he is still working today!
These actions highlight the scope of Trump's agenda across multiple sectors, including energy, education, military, and immigration
Executive Orders: Trump signed numerous executive orders, many reversing policies from the previous administration. Notably, he withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization, reinstated the Mexico City Policy affecting international abortion funding, and revoked diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs within federal agencies.
WIKIPEDIA
Pardons: He granted pardons to approximately 1,500 individuals involved in the January 6 Capitol riot, including prominent figures like Enrique Tarrio of the Proud Boys. Additionally, he pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road marketplace, and 23 anti-abortion protesters convicted of blockading clinics.
WIKIPEDIA
Immigration and Border Security: Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border, deploying military forces to enhance security. He also signed an executive order aiming to end birthright citizenship for descendants of illegal immigrants.
WIKIPEDIA
Government Restructuring: The administration established the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), led by Elon Musk, tasked with reducing the federal budget and workforce. Concurrently, hundreds of civil servants from the previous administration were dismissed or reassigned, and security clearances for former senior officials were revoked.
THE TIMES & THE SUNDAY TIMES
Economic Policies: Discussions commenced on implementing moderate tariffs on China, with potential future increases. The administration also lifted restrictions on fossil fuels and paused wind energy projects, signaling a shift in energy policy.
MARKETWATCH
International Relations: At the World Economic Forum, Trump demanded increased defense spending from NATO allies, intensifying tensions within the alliance.
THE TIMES & THE SUNDAY TIMES
Supreme Court Nomination Process:
Although not fully implemented, Trump announced intentions to nominate a new Supreme Court justice to shift the Court further toward his vision of constitutional originalism.
Defunding Federal Climate Programs:
He signed orders defunding climate-related programs, such as renewable energy subsidies, and redirected funds to traditional energy infrastructure projects like coal and oil drilling.
Social Media Regulations:
Trump pushed for expanded legislation targeting "censorship" on social media platforms. Early drafts of proposals reportedly aim to enforce fairness under Section 230 and penalize perceived political bias.
Investments in Military Expansion:
Trump issued directives to increase military spending, particularly in space defense systems and advanced weapons development, part of a broader strategy to maintain U.S. dominance on the global stage.
Targeting Educational Curriculum:
A proposal to defund schools implementing "critical race theory" and similar programs has been introduced, alongside plans to support charter schools and expand school choice nationwide.
Immediate Focus on Voter Integrity:
Trump signed an order creating a task force to investigate alleged voter fraud in previous elections and tighten voter identification requirements at the state level.
Repealing "Woke" Pentagon Initiatives:
Actions have been taken to roll back diversity and inclusion programs introduced during the prior administration, refocusing Pentagon goals on combat readiness and traditional military objectives.
These actions reflect the administration's focus on economic policy, social issues, and international relations during the early days of the second term.
Digital Asset Regulation: He sponsored a working group to regulate digital asset issuance, potentially establishing a national crypto-agency, which was positively received by crypto investors.
MARKETWATCH
Social Media Oversight: The administration initiated efforts to address perceived censorship on social media platforms, aiming to enforce fairness under Section 230 and penalize political bias.
Educational Policy Shifts: Trump's executive orders signaled a rollback of protections for LGBTQ+ students and an increase in immigration enforcement on and around school campuses.
EDUCATION WEEK
International Economic Policy: In his address at the World Economic Forum, Trump demanded lower oil prices, immediate interest rate cuts from global central banks, and increased investment in U.S. factories by foreign companies, threatening tariffs otherwise.
FT.COM
Defense Spending Reductions:
Trump initiated a reduction in military assistance to countries he deemed unworthy or where American interests were not directly served, particularly in the Middle East. He ordered a review of ongoing military presence in certain regions to assess effectiveness and cost.
Reversing Multilateral Environmental Pacts:
Following through with his campaign promise, Trump began pulling out of specific multilateral environmental initiatives, particularly those designed to curb deforestation and land use policies, arguing they were restrictive to U.S. agricultural and energy interests.
Reevaluation of Global Supply Chain Agreements:
Trump initiated a review of U.S. participation in global supply chain agreements, especially in the technology sector, with a focus on reducing reliance on Chinese-manufactured goods and encouraging reshoring of American manufacturing.
Strategic Petroleum Reserve:
President Trump authorized the withdrawal of additional barrels of oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve to meet energy demands domestically and reduce fuel prices.
Cuts to Foreign Aid:
Trump continued to pursue his "America First" foreign policy by reducing U.S. foreign aid to nations he considered not strategically beneficial to the U.S. or those that continued to criticize American policy on global platforms.
Withdrawals are in line with Trump’s broader "America First" policy, emphasizing domestic priorities and reasserting U.S. sovereignty over multilateral commitments. Let me know if you’d like details on any specific withdrawal!
Withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement (Again):
Trump reinitiated the formal withdrawal process, arguing that the agreement imposes unfair economic burdens on the U.S. while benefiting competitors like China and India.
Exit from the World Health Organization (WHO):
Citing concerns over transparency and its handling of global health crises, Trump finalized the withdrawal of U.S. membership, redirecting funds to domestic health programs.
Ending U.S. Participation in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC):
Trump reinforced his stance that the UNHRC has a bias against the U.S. and Israel and announced that the U.S. would no longer participate or fund the council.
Withdrawal from Certain Trade Agreements:
Trump began steps to renegotiate or withdraw from trade agreements he deemed unfavorable, including revisiting the terms of the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement.
Pulling Back from Global Digital Tax Talks:
The administration stated it would withdraw from OECD-led talks on a global digital tax framework, citing concerns about targeting American tech companies.
Reversal of Biden-Era Commitments on Migrant Asylum Agreements:
Trump withdrew the U.S. from agreements that expanded asylum protections, particularly those involving Central American countries, and reinstated stricter requirements for migrants seeking asylum.
Travel---
Asheville, North Carolina (January 24, 2025): President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visited Asheville to assess the damage caused by Hurricane Helene, which struck in September 2024. They toured affected areas and met with local officials and residents to discuss recovery efforts.
NEW YORK POST
Los Angeles, California (January 24, 2025): Following their visit to North Carolina, the President and First Lady traveled to Los Angeles to survey the devastation from recent wildfires, particularly in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. They met with first responders and residents impacted by the fires.
NEW YORK POST
Las Vegas, Nevada (January 24–25, 2025): After visiting Los Angeles, President Trump proceeded to Las Vegas, where he stayed overnight at the Trump International Hotel. On January 25, he delivered remarks at a rally held at the Circa Resort & Casino, focusing on tax policies and expressing gratitude to Nevada voters for their support in the recent election.
WIKIPEDIA
Doral, Florida (January 25–27, 2025): The President concluded this series of trips with a weekend stay at the Trump National Doral Miami resort. While there, he held meetings with advisors and local leaders to discuss various policy initiatives.
He is hard at work on keeping his promises.What a bunch of nonsense.... Absolutely nothing related to the struggles people are having keeping up with the cost of living. Pardoning Enrique Tarrio? Huh? I'm supposed to be impressed with that? People don't care about any of this when they can't afford groceries and other living expenses... Have you seen how much rent has gone up?
What about this? As seen today... I can get out the door with a box of cereal and a carton of eggs for $25....
Of your list, there are only a couple of actions that I don't agree with, or at least am OK with.
It was absolutely wrong to give a blanket pardon to the rioters causing damage on Jan. 6. We have been remiss for a long time in encouraging such activity, and this purely political ploy merely accentuates that. I have zero doubt that there were some caught up in the insanity following that event, but that does not include those damaging the building and certainly not those beating our cops. I am of the opinion that the furor over catching/punishing those people came about for two reasons; they frightened the rich and powerful and it hurt Donald Trump when they were punished. But neither is a reason to do what was done to most of them.
I hate the idea of using even more of the oil reserve rather than re-supplying it. In line with the I have long questioned how smart it is to use up all our own oil rather than buying it somewhere else. One day oil will run out and what then? Instead of having huge reserves in the ground we will be forced to purchase (at their grossly inflated prices) the dribbles other countries allow us to. Better to bite the bullet now and keep those barrels in the ground for the future. IMODan, The list I shared was collected from various sources online, and I’ll admit I didn’t thoroughly verify every single one—my bad. The part about the oil reserve is incorrect. Here is the scoop with sources, so sorry for posting misinformation...
Upon reviewing the latest information as of January 25, 2025, I can confirm that the statements regarding President Donald Trump's actions toward the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) and his declaration of a national energy emergency are accurate.
President Trump has announced plans to refill the SPR "right to the top" after it reached historically low levels during the previous administration.
BLOOMBERG
Additionally, he has declared a national energy emergency, aiming to boost domestic oil and gas production. This initiative includes fast-tracking permits for fossil fuel infrastructure, lifting restrictions on drilling in areas like Alaska, and suspending offshore wind leasing.
THE WHITE HOUSE
These actions are part of a broader strategy to increase energy production and reduce reliance on foreign oil sources. The administration believes that enhancing domestic energy output will strengthen the economy and improve national security.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
I can see your point regarding the blanket pardons for those charged in connection with the January 6th protest. However, I’ve done some research into the arrests and charges stemming from that event. While only about 14 individuals were involved in more serious crimes—and these individuals received extremely long sentences that seem excessively harsh—the majority who received prison time were first-time offenders. Many of these sentences felt disproportionate to the crimes committed. Most of those charged simply pleaded guilty and didn’t serve any prison time at all, but some who committed minor offenses still faced harsh penalties. The worst offenders, of course, received sentences ranging from 18 to 25 years. I think a more prudent approach would have been to assess each case individually. Blanket pardons might not be the best answer, but some of those involved in minor infractions were punished far too severely.
Shar,
It's amazing that the left can't comprehend so much. One thing that seems to be beyond them is that fact that President Donald Trump has been in office less than a week.
Let that sink in.
I wonder if those on the left can comprehend the concept of petty.
This is from the Cambridge dictionary.
[ before noun ]
not important and not worth giving attention to:
Prisoners complain that they are subjected to too many petty rules and restrictions.
[ after noun ]
complaining too much about things that are not important:
Don't be so petty!Mike, I completely agree with you. It’s almost comical how quickly some people jump to criticize. Trump’s barely had time to unpack his bags, let alone address the mountain of issues left behind. The left's impatience and constant nitpicking really highlight just how out of touch they can be with the realities of governance. Instead of allowing things to unfold or acknowledging the challenges he inherited, they seem more focused on being petty and divisive. It’s like they don’t realize progress takes time, especially when you're trying to clean up someone else’s mess.
I mean, I don't think this man sleeps. He has done so much in just 5 days—it’s hard to keep up! A lot of his executive orders aren’t even being covered because they’re coming so fast and furious. I keep up on Truth Social, as well as his Facebook, and he’s slipping in tons right under their noses.
At the rate President Trump is going, the mountain will become a molehill pretty quickly.
Pretty comprehensive, Sharlee
Here is my take
1. Giving blanket pardons regardless of the nature of the offenses is not reasonable. many have engaged in violence and are more than just a bunch over boisterous thugs.
2. The 14th Amendment was clear when written and when revisited during a case from the turn of the last century. Trump can’t use executive orders to nullify the Constitution. Even the right wing tribunal known as our current Supreme Court will have difficulty twisting the interpretations of what is in that Amendment. I am aware that there is a problem that needs to be addressed, but Trump, the stable genius, had better find another way.
3. From what I understand, DOGE is not an official government agency. Republicans ought to be smart enough to know that the “boy wonder” and his daddy cannot speak of massive cuts because they are not and never have been politically palatable. So, whose ox is to be gored as a result? Musk is just being given a playpen and action figures to play with, most of his stuff will never get through a contentious congress.
4. For Trump’s sake, this tariff idea of his had better be everything he promises regarding inflation and the enhancement of the economy and it had better happen Mach Schnell. I will be all over him like flies on “you know what”, if he delays and falters.
5. Is America really prepared to go it alone without the alliances? The fortress America Trump envisions and tries to build does not work in this Century.
6. The rational 3 that remain on the right wing tribunal known as the current Supreme Court don’t have plans to leave, lets hope that it stays that way.
7. Climate change is established science with the preponderance of those qualified to have recognized it, his dismissing it for no real reason is not wise.
8. CRT is just a point of confusion for the Right to “whitewash” the truth regarding American history so that Pippi Longstocking need not be offended.
For them there is no difference between CRT and a truthful non revisionist version, in favor of a “John Wayne” patriotic version. This is not acceptable and will be resisted be me and mine. I will always support building up public schools as opposed to elite academies using tax payers money which this charter school stuff is allowing the wealthy all the more advantage against the common folks. I will resist that as well.
——-
Immediate Focus on Voter Integrity:
Trump signed an order creating a task force to investigate alleged voter fraud in previous elections and tighten voter identification requirements at the state level.
We will resist Trump if his voter integrity is just a facilitator for voter suppression against those constituencies that tend not to vote for him or his party. I see that more than this voter fraud Republicans harp about all of the time.
———
Repealing "Woke" Pentagon Initiatives:
Actions have been taken to roll back diversity and inclusion programs introduced during the prior administration, refocusing Pentagon goals on
I will not serve nor be enticed into a military where equal opportunity for jobs and opportunity is now considered woke. I will tell my other associates the same. He will have to bring back the draft before we go to a system where there are few black officers based on an intentional design, that he attempt to disguise. Their idea of merit is basically “white only”, just like it was back in the good old days.Here’s my take on your points, and I’ll try to approach them with respect and common sense:
I agree that blanket pardons can be a contentious issue, but many of those charged for January 6th received sentences that don’t seem proportionate to their offenses. While I acknowledge that some engaged in violence, others were first-time offenders whose actions were nonviolent, yet they faced harsh penalties. Wouldn’t it make more sense to assess cases individually rather than paint everyone with the same brush?
The 14th Amendment is a significant legal safeguard, but the question of how it’s interpreted isn’t as simple as declaring it untouchable. Courts have long debated its scope and application. Suggesting Trump can’t find a way forward seems to dismiss the possibility of legal nuance or even alternative strategies. If the issue is as critical as you acknowledge, wouldn’t it be prudent to wait for an actual ruling before assuming the outcome?
DOGE, or any similar initiative, may not be an official government agency, but dismissing it outright as unviable feels premature. Musk’s involvement and influence, whether you agree with him or not, have driven innovation in many sectors. If Republicans or others see value in his proposals, the focus should be on debating their merits rather than writing them off as “action figures” for Musk to play with.
On tariffs, I completely agree that Trump’s plans need to deliver results, but let’s not ignore the potential benefits of such measures. If they boost domestic manufacturing and reduce dependency on foreign supply chains, that could strengthen our economy. I’ll be the first to criticize him if these policies fail, but isn’t it fair to give the policies a chance before we start calling for accountability?
The idea of “Fortress America” often gets misrepresented. It’s not about isolating the U.S. from the world; it’s about renegotiating alliances and trade deals to ensure they’re mutually beneficial. Strengthening our position doesn’t mean abandoning our allies—it means ensuring that partnerships work for both sides.
As for the Supreme Court, turnover is inevitable, but it’s worth remembering that the Court is meant to interpret the Constitution, not govern based on personal ideologies. Rationality should remain the standard for all justices, regardless of political leanings.
Climate change is real, and I don’t think dismissing it outright is the best approach. That said, the conversation around climate policies shouldn’t ignore economic realities. Finding a balanced way to address environmental concerns while maintaining energy independence and economic growth is crucial.
CRT is a contentious topic, but let’s be honest: education should be about teaching history as it happened—not framing it to support any ideological agenda. Parents and communities should have a say in how sensitive topics are taught, but that doesn’t mean we should whitewash the past. A balanced approach can ensure we learn from history without making it divisive.
Regarding voter integrity, I agree that voter suppression is a serious issue, and it’s something we should always guard against. That said, ensuring voter integrity doesn’t automatically equate to suppression. Measures like voter ID laws, for example, are often framed as discriminatory, but many countries, including some with highly inclusive democracies, require them. If there’s evidence of fraud—even on a small scale—it’s worth addressing. Don’t we all want elections to be as fair and transparent as possible? Assuming bad intent behind efforts to improve election security without evidence of harm might undermine legitimate discussions on improving the system.
When it comes to the Pentagon and “woke” initiatives, I think the conversation gets muddied by semantics. Equal opportunity is important, and diversity has value, but should those principles come at the expense of readiness, recruitment, or focus on military effectiveness? The military’s primary purpose is national defense, and any program—whether it’s related to diversity, inclusion, or otherwise—should be weighed against that core mission. Suggesting that rolling back some initiatives equals returning to an era of racial exclusion is an extreme view. The military has made significant progress over decades, and I don’t see evidence that Trump or anyone else is advocating for intentional racial bias. Isn’t it worth considering that merit-based standards, applied fairly, can coexist with diversity rather than undermine it?
It’s fine to hold Trump accountable, but wouldn’t it be more constructive to address these issues case by case instead of assuming the worst motivations?Fair enough, Sharlee
I am asking Trump to assess each case individually on its merits and not just pardon all with a broad brush, are we not saying the same thing?
The 14th amendment regarding citizenship is a tough nut to crack. There is not nor has there been a great deal in nuance in how it has been interpreted. I relegate it to the same chance as eliminating the electoral college, without a change to the Constitution itself, slim to none. Otherwise, Conservatives jurors will be guilty of legislating from the bench.
As for Musk, I don't agree with him. Reducing spending in Washington has long been a fools errand because the Republicans are just as wasteful for their pet projects as they accuse the Democrats in regards to theirs.
I accept the concept of the court and its methods of jurisprudence, but that applies to both sides. The conservatives seem to believe that their interpretations are always correct because of original intent or strict constructionism. I don't buy it. And I have seen so much of that give way over ideology and politics. So, your advice has to apply to both sides.
Why should I go after the comparative gnat regarding voter fraud yet ignore the problem of voter suppression, gerrymandering and such which is the elephant in the room? I assume the negative, because the integrity efforts from the Right has had an adverse effect on those that they just as soon not see cast a ballot. Many of these issues have come to the forefront over the last few years beginning with Trumps claim of voter fraud that was not supported with so much as a scintilla of evidence. I guess I look here and not there.
Trump's attitude is to think that merit based standards and diversity are contradictory concepts. Yet we both agree that it need not be so. That is my problem with the man.
I mentioned to you that I don't trust Trump and will assume the worse inclinations on his part until he gives me demonstrative evidence that such is not the case.
Nice forum and great inquiry challenges, thanks.....Cred, The heart of the 14th Amendment argument is whether any potential change to how birthright citizenship is applied could be both constitutionally sound and politically feasible. It’s a complex issue, and both sides would likely need to address the tension between respecting the Constitution's original text and adapting to contemporary challenges.
Your thoughts on spending are interesting, and I get where you're coming from about the spending habits of both parties. But I’m curious—why wouldn’t you want to see an effort, even if imperfect, to curb overspending and waste in Washington? Sure, Republicans and Democrats both have their pet projects, but wouldn’t it still be worthwhile to try to rein in unnecessary expenses where possible? I mean, are you in some respect saying, "Hey, no one’s ever done much about it, so why not just sweep it under the carpet?" I get that it might feel like a "fool’s errand" sometimes, but isn’t it better to push for accountability, even if the results aren’t perfect? What’s your perspective on why it’s not worth pursuing?
I think you’re highlighting a valid concern about the broader issues surrounding voting. Voter suppression, gerrymandering, and other tactics that limit participation are definitely significant problems, but I’d argue that voter fraud and election integrity, even if less pervasive, shouldn’t be completely dismissed either. Maybe the problem lies in the approach—focusing solely on one side of the issue, like fraud, can come across as targeting specific groups, while ignoring it altogether could make others feel like the system is vulnerable. At the same time, efforts to ensure integrity shouldn’t make it harder for legitimate voters to cast a ballot, as that undermines trust in the system too. Don’t both issues—fraud and suppression—deserve scrutiny to build a process that’s both fair and accessible? It feels like tackling one without addressing the other leaves gaps in trust on all sides.
I respect your approach of staying cautious until there’s clear evidence to change your mind. It’s always good to question and demand accountability from public figures, no matter who they are. That said, I do think it’s worth considering that sometimes people, including Trump, can show growth or change over time.
I know Trump has his share of controversy, but I also believe that his policies, especially on the economy and foreign relations, speak to his priorities in ways that resonate with a lot of people.
It’s clear that President Trump is unlike any other president in many respects, and his agenda certainly stands out as bolder than any I can remember as well. It feels like we’re in uncharted territory, and at this point, it almost feels like an experiment. He’s come in like a wrecking ball, shaking up systems and policies that, for years, I thought needed addressing. I truly feel we were on a bad course. I think it’s smart to keep a close watch on everything he does, as you said because it’s definitely a time of significant change. There’s a lot of potential, but also a lot to be mindful of as it unfolds.
Should we give him the opportunity to prove himself worthy of the trust that so many have placed in him?
PS. Me, I’m bucking up and buckling in.Well, adapting to current challenges is not what conservatives jurors consider operating under their vaunted “original intent”.
Of course, I would like to see greater efforts toward controlling spending. I am just saying that the politicians have been saying this for a long time. As it is, neither side is going to allow the other all of its desired spending objectives. I have no reason to believe that Trump and his DOGE are going to be any more successful.
Voting integrity: My problem with Republicans is they still want to ignore the far greater problem while emphasizing an infinitesimally smaller problem in comparison. I can’t give them any credibility unless they address the entirety of the issue and put the proper perspectives where they belong.
As for change and growth, I would have applied this to anyone except Trump who seems to believes that he knows it all already.
there remain a lot of people for whom his policies do not resonate. The proof will be in the pudding and for his sake, it had better be good.
His being unlike all the chief executives before him is not necessarily a positive in my mind. The direction of the changes concerns me and it does not leave me with a whole lot of confidence.
As for me, I am putting on my crash helmet and preparing for an unsettled America over the next 4 years.
Your thought on Charter Schools doesn't seem supportable by anything other than emotion.
If you asked, Google would tell you that Hispanic is the largest student segment and there is only around a 5% difference in the White and Black student segments.
It would also tell you that folks don't buy their way into a Charter school. Most (almost all) Charter school enrollments are chosen by a lottery system because there is more demand than available slots.
GATwo of my grandchildren attended a charter school. As I understand it, both had to meet rather high academic standards, and keep them. One very nearly lost his place in the school because of poor grades after attending for several years.
So it's not all about the lottery (although both kids where chosen that way from the list of possible kids with grades good enough) - a good deal of it is "Can the kid benefit from the school or will (s)he merely tear down what another is trying to do?".
But I'm interested in what you say Google says about participation by race - if I read it right it isn't even close to being similar to the makeup of the population. Is that what you get from it as well? That the lottery is "choosing" minorities over other races?Are we talking about public funds going to for-profit charters? And will these charters have to operate under the same rules as public schools?
Oh my! Some folks were practically hair-on-fire over the 12 inspectors who were let go—better sit down and keep a fire extinguisher handy for this one. BREAKING: Trump is reportedly considering firing or reallocating up to 88,000 IRS agents hired under Biden, possibly moving them to bolster the border.
Just my view, but this would be a common-sense move. For any of the IRS agents currently hired to look for extra tax cash lying around, they might be offered jobs or pink slips. Seems pretty fair to me. I mean, what employer, when firing someone, goes out of their way to find them another job?Can you provide the numbers at the border that require the "bolstering"?
The data, from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, indicates that in the last two months of 2024, illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border were at their lowest since mid-2020... The bolstering seems like a waste of money.
An Inspector General is responsible for conducting independent audits, investigations, and inspections within a government agency to detect and prevent fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, while promoting efficiency and effectiveness in the agency's operations; essentially acting as an internal watchdog to ensure proper conduct and accountability within the organization.... We all know why trump wants fewer of these people... Clear the way for grift and abuse"Can you provide the numbers at the border that require the "bolstering"?
No, guess you might want to get in touch with the new Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Kristi Noem. She would have authority over personnel decisions, including hiring and firing within the department. The DHS oversees a wide range of agencies, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and others. As Secretary, Noem would be responsible for leadership decisions, policy direction, and ensuring the proper functioning of these agencies, which includes overseeing high-level staffing decisions.
Go Kristi! Very much on board with MAGA
Trump's Fresh Tariff Threats Against EU and China: What You Need to Know
President Trump has recently renewed his threats to impose tariffs on the European Union, China, and even Mexico and Canada. Speaking from the White House on January 21, 2025, Trump made it clear that he was ready to push forward with a 10% duty on Chinese goods, citing the ongoing fentanyl issue being trafficked from China through Mexico and Canada into the U.S.
After taking office without immediately following through on some of his campaign promises, including tariffs, Trump laid out his new plan to hit both the EU and China with additional tariffs, alongside the expected 25% duties on Canada and Mexico, set for February 1. His main reasoning behind these new measures? He’s targeting countries with trade surpluses against the U.S., calling out the EU in particular as "very, very bad" for American interests.
While this announcement took a bit of pressure off financial markets and trade groups, it was clear that Trump's stance on tariffs was unchanged. He’s looking for fairness in trade, and he's using tariffs as a way to get it. The White House is also eyeing tariffs as a tool to pressure Canada and Mexico to do more about illegal immigration and the trafficking of fentanyl, which continues to be a deadly problem in the U.S.
Though China has expressed a willingness to keep talking with the U.S., they’ve made it clear they’re not backing down. As always, they believe that no one truly wins in a trade war, and they're ready to defend their interests. But with fentanyl deaths continuing to rise in the U.S., Trump seems determined to push forward with his tariff plans. It’s all about tackling these issues head-on, even if it means putting pressure on global partners.
So, buckle up because this situation isn’t going away anytime soon. It’s a balancing act between global trade dynamics and U.S. national interests, and it looks like Trump is taking a firm stand. Let’s see how this plays out by February 1st. The clock is ticking.Yes, get ready to pay more for everything... Hey somebody's got to pay for the giveaways to the wealthy
I’ve noticed that you often focus right on the negative side of things. But some economists actually think the tariff could be beneficial. For instance, economist Gary Hufbauer argues, "Tariffs can be an effective tool to protect domestic industries and reduce trade imbalances." One key point often overlooked is the additional funds that tariffs could bring into our country. By generating revenue from these tariffs, the government could have more resources to address domestic issues, potentially reducing the need for other forms of taxation. In fact, Trump has suggested that if tariffs work out well, federal income tax could even be eliminated altogether. This approach could change the way we view the economy and fiscal policy, with some believing it could lead to more long-term economic benefits.
When tariffs are imposed, the government collects revenue from businesses that import goods into the country. The way it works is that the government sets a specific tax, called a tariff, on certain imported goods. For example, if the U.S. imposes a 10% tariff on electronics from another country, importers would need to pay an additional 10% of the goods' value on top of the purchase price when bringing those items into the U.S. Once the goods enter the country, the importer—usually a business looking to sell those goods here—must declare them at the customs office and pay the tariff. This process is managed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The money collected from these tariffs goes directly to the U.S. Treasury, making it a tax on foreign-made goods and services entering the country. The revenue generated from these tariffs becomes part of the federal budget, helping fund government operations.
So, if prices go up because of tariffs, it might actually deter Americans from buying those items, especially if they feel like they're being price-gouged. In the long run, the nation exporting those goods could end up losing altogether, because Americans are pretty savvy when we realize we're being taken advantage of.
On the flip side, these tariffs could push businesses to come back to the U.S. or inspire new start-ups to fill the gaps. That’s the more optimistic way to look at this issue. Trump is all about building America back up, and while the task will be tough, he’s focused on making us far less dependent on other nations—not just for goods but also for our energy. I find it exciting because we’ve been stagnant as a nation for far too long.
This is America, and to quote President Trump from his inaugural speech, “The impossible is what we do best.” I tend to be positive, and I have faith in the President, and "we the People". They sure came through and sent Trump back to the White House.I think we only need to look to Trump's last administration and the tariffs that he imposed and the fact that they led directly to higher prices.... Remember washers and dryers? Trump's plans and promises to the wealthy bring in very little revenue to the country... Tariffs are his way of making regular folk pay for the giveaways to the rich.
Meanwhile, people are out here suffering just trying to get by. Inflation hasn't budged. Grocery prices are astronomical and we have no word on the bird flu... People complained incessantly on this forum about biden, for the exact same conditions we are currently in... Now it's suddenly okay?As I mentioned, I tend to stay positive and have faith in the President. I wouldn’t have voted for him if I had any doubts about his abilities. I don’t focus on predicting negative outcomes. I believe that if and when the facts present themselves, that’s the appropriate time to voice concerns about issues that may have gone wrong.
Historically, once prices rise, they rarely drop significantly, especially in the case of essential goods and services. While prices may temporarily decrease due to market fluctuations, the general trend over time is that they tend to stay higher.
It’s a safe bet that we’ll continue dealing with the inflationary costs of food and goods that Biden’s policies have created. Hopefully, Trump can break the pattern and bring prices down a bit. History shows that once prices rise, they usually level off but rarely drop significantly. We face bird flu outbreaks every year, and as we’re doing this year, we cull chickens where the illness is present. I’m not sure what you mean by comparing Biden’s issues to Trump’s first five days, but I’m genuinely excited about the direction things are going. Every day, I see great accomplishments, and honestly, everything’s been pretty okay these past six days in my view. Yes, we’re still dealing with the problems Biden left, but I don’t think anyone expected Trump to solve everything in a day. I’ve honestly never seen a conversation about anyone complaining about Biden and bird flu on this forum. I don't think I have even seen it mentioned here on this forum. I must laugh on your concern
Are you concerned with this year's Flu season ---- As of January 6, 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that there have been at least 6,600 DEATHS from influenza in the United States this flu season.
CIDRAP
The CDC estimates that there have been at least 12 million illnesses and 160,000 hospitalizations from the flu so far this season.
CIDRAP
Yes, avian influenza, commonly known as BIRD FLU, is currently spreading in various regions, including the United States. The H5N1 strain has been particularly active, affecting both wild and domestic birds. As of January 6, 2025, there have been 66 CASES confirmed in human of H5N1 bird flu in the United States since 2024, with ONE reported DEATH in
Louisiana.
If you want something to worry about here are some facts that should concern all Americans --- just have not been reported, and should have been ----- Biden also left us with this.
As of January 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has not yet released the final data for tuberculosis (TB) cases in the United States for 2024. However, the most recent available data indicates that in 2023, there were 9,633 reported cases of TB in the U.S., marking a 15.6% increase from the 8,332 cases reported in 2022.
CDC.GOV
This upward trend in TB cases has been observed since 2020, reversing a previous three-decade decline. CDC, BOSTON UNIVERSITY
The CDC's annual report for 2023 highlights that TB disease continues to disproportionately affect non-U.S.–born individuals and persons from racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States. CDC And you concern yourself with Bird Flu---
Maybe your concerns are misplaced --- did you get your yearly flu shot?But Trump promised voters, over and over again that he would bring down prices quickly. I don't understand making excuses for him now. Inflation under Biden? That would be called covid. If Trump didn't think he could bring prices down, he should have kept his big mouth shut. American voters listed the economy is their number one concern. He lied...
"Trump says inflation isn’t his No. 1 issue". Lol, NOW he says this? So everyone is just all of a sudden okay with the economy? The economy that they've been whining about for years?
https://www.kptv.com/2025/01/26/trump-s … o-1-issue/Well, I offered my view as an individual, I assume those who support Trump are also individuals and have their views. yes, the economy was at the top of many polls, guess it was less important than polls indicated. I can only speak for myself, I am just dam glad he won.
I am also at this point pleased to see RFK Jr. at TYrump's side --- he will most likely alert Americans about some of the very dangerous diseases Biden has unleashed on our Nation.
Biden is like that never-ending gift that keeps on giving, whether it’s controversy, issues to address, or things that just seem to keep coming up.
Wonderful news
On Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the release of an American citizen who had been imprisoned in Belarus, amid growing controversy over the Eastern European country's ongoing election.
Rubio credited President Donald Trump's leadership in securing the release, saying on X, "Belarus just unilaterally released an innocent American, ANASTASSIA Nuhfer, who was taken under JOE BIDEN!"
He also praised Christopher Smith, the State Department’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Eastern Europe and Policy and Regional Affairs, for his excellent work on the case.
“PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH,” Rubio, who served 14 years on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee before being sworn in as Trump’s new Secretary of State last week, wrote in his post.
Regarding Nuhfer’s release, no further details were shared immediately. Some social media users expressed surprise, noting they weren’t aware of an American being detained in Belarus during the Biden administration.
NOTE --- In the same breath, Rubio called for answers regarding the reports of two more Americans being held by the Taliban.Well hopefully Little Marco will be able to work on this one also...
Israel Is Blocking 11 American Doctors and Nurses From Leaving Gaza..
The doctors, who entered Gaza on Jan. 9 with authorization and clearance from the Israeli government, were set to leave the enclave on Wednesday. But Israel denied their planned exit, telling the group they couldn’t leave due to an unspecified “incident” at a security checkpoint...
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cai … turn-home/I couldn't find any reports from major outlets confirming that Israel is blocking 11 American doctors and nurses from leaving Gaza. While the claim is circulating on fringe sites, I’d hesitate to discuss it further until a credible source, like the AP, reports on it. I prefer to have the full context before forming an opinion. By tomorrow, more details might emerge. If true, it could become an issue for Rubio, though I’d find it hard to believe that this medical team wouldn’t be truthful. I’m interested in hearing all sides of the story.
Our new CIA Director is off and running--- Wonderful to see day-one transparency rules.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe, in his first interview since his confirmation, discussed the agency’s decision to release a Biden-era assessment that supports the lab-leak theory for the origin of COVID-19. Ratcliffe emphasized that this assessment, made public on his first day, couldn't be politically motivated, as it originated during the Biden administration. He confirmed that the CIA now believes a lab-related incident, potentially at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, is the most likely cause of the pandemic. The agency continues to investigate both the lab-leak and natural origin theories but leans toward the former, with "low confidence" in this conclusion.
Ratcliffe also highlighted the importance of transparency from U.S. intelligence agencies to restore public trust. He explained that the CIA’s mission is not only to protect Americans from foreign threats but also to be honest with the public about critical issues like the pandemic’s origin. This release is part of an effort to support President Trump’s broader goal of rebuilding trust in American institutions and intelligence services.Hard to keep up-- and all on the weekend. Makes me wonder what work days will bring.
So, Colombian President Gustavo Petro has apparently had a change of heart after facing strong pushback from Trump. On Sunday, he offered his presidential plane to repatriate migrants coming back from the U.S. This came right after Trump hit Colombia with some serious retaliation measures. Petro had initially refused deportation flights for Colombian migrants, calling it unfair and saying the U.S. shouldn’t treat them like criminals. But after Trump threatened a hefty tariff on Colombian goods, Petro quickly backtracked. Now, the Colombian government is saying this plane will help ensure the "dignified return" of their people. Looks like Trump’s pressure really worked!
Trump took immediate action and came out strong and serious.The actual story is a little different...
Colombia will send its presidential plane to Honduras to pick up Colombians after the country refused to accept migrant deportation flights from the United States, causing President Trump to enact tariffs and other retaliatory measures on Sunday.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has arranged for the presidential plane to facilitate the “dignified return of Colombian nationals who were to arrive in the country today in the morning hours, coming in from deportation flights,” read a statement released on Sunday.
This measure is in response to the government’s commitment to guarantee dignified conditions. In no way have Colombians, as patriots and subjects of rights, been or will be banished from Colombian territory,” the statement continued.
Earlier Sunday, President Trump slapped Colombia with 25 percent tariffs on all goods coming into the U.S., and he issued a travel ban and immediate visa revocations on “Government Officials, and all Allies and Supporters,” among other measures, after the South American country rejected two planes carrying migrants.
Petro hit Trump back by ordering an increase of import tariffs on goods from the United States by 25 percent."
American products whose price will rise within the national economy must be replaced by national production, and the government will help in this regard,” Petro said in a Sunday afternoon post.
Petro previously said he will deny entry to the United States’s deportation flights as Trump’s immigration plan begins.
“The US cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals,” Petro posted Sunday to the social platform X. “I deny the entry of American planes carrying Colombian migrants into our territory.”
Colombian President Gustavo Petro in response posted on social media said to Mr. Trump "Your blockade doesn't scare me," lol... adding that Colombia is “not anyone’s colony"
In reference to the travel ban, Petro said, "I don't really like traveling to the U.S., it's a bit boring.".YIKES...
According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the total estimated value of goods and services trade between the United States and Colombia in 2022 was $53.5 billion, with the value of exports slightly exceeding the value of imports.
Oh well, looks like our first tariff war... Who's up for higher coffee prices?
https://thehill.com/policy/internationa … n-flights/
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/colombia-d … taliation/I gave a summary of the issue, knowing if anyone was interested they could look into all the ins and outs, the back and forth of it all. As I said lots going on, hard to keep up, but important stuff, should not be missed.
Bottom line — the two planes carrying illegal migrants with criminal records are being sent back to their home countries, where many will likely end up in prison. It’ll be interesting to see how this develops, especially considering there are thousands more who need to be returned. I’m just glad to see the promise of addressing the issue of criminal migrants being deported is making solid progress.I'm not really sure how many of these migrants being flown out of the country are actual criminals... Who knows how many of them actually were here legally. There are accounts all over the country of citizens being scooped up in these "raids"
It is being reported that ICE is concentrating on those with criminal records. In Denver, a significant raid led to the arrest of approximately 50 members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua at a makeshift nightclub. This operation resulted in the seizure of cash, weapons, and drugs, and is part of a broader nationwide crackdown targeting dangerous criminals.
Very hard to know anything other than what is being supported.
https://nypost.com/2025/01/26/us-news/f … hatgpt.com
Shar,
Someone mentioned to me something interesting.
They said, "Guess what you don't see with this mass deportations?"
I asked, "What?"
His response? Protests. Nobody is protesting or upset about the deportation of these illegal criminal immigrants. There is really nobody on the left who is moved by this. Many actually support it.
I think it's time the left start putting Americans before illegal immigrants. Citizens are tired of being treated as second class to those who are here illegally. More tax dollars are spent on them by many state and local governments that is spent on American citizens. It has resulted in lots of resentment.
President Donald Trump is doing what he promised to do during the campaign and I believe things in the United States are beginning to change for the better because of it.Just saw a report that says that only about 50% of these folks caught up in the ice raids have a criminal background.... It should be 100%, right?
Nearly half of those detained don’t have criminal records, according to a senior Trump administration official.
Where are the raids of the slaughterhouses, the meat packing and processing plants? The big ag farms? I mean they could clear these industries...
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/ice … rcna188937When it comes to the argument that not everyone being deported is a criminal, we have to keep in mind that we don’t have detailed information on each individual’s record. However, I trust that ICE is following our clear deportation laws. It's strange to me that some people don’t seem to understand that anyone here illegally is subject to deportation, even if they haven’t committed another crime. The fact is, just by being here without legal authorization, they are already breaking immigration laws, and under those laws, they can be deported. Not having committed a violent crime doesn’t give anyone a pass from facing the consequences of being in the country illegally.
I would think one would recognize we have many million here illegally, and breaking our immigration laws.
From afar, not a left or right kind of thing, living in San Diego County the deportation movement has caused a stir with American citizens who are Latino. It is not being taken lightly by them.
And which way do the Latinos go? I ask because virtually everything I've seen for years is that they are in favor of LEGAL immigration and against ILLEGAL border crossings.
Immigration was one of the top priorities on my list of why I voted for Trump.
I completely agree with what you’re saying. It’s interesting how there’s been very little protest regarding mass deportations of illegal immigrants, especially considering the usual outcry when similar topics come up. It’s a clear sign that many people are starting to realize the toll illegal immigration is taking on the country, especially in terms of public resources. The fact is, many citizens feel like they’ve been put on the back burner while illegal immigrants receive benefits, healthcare, and education funded by their tax dollars. It’s frustrating to see the government prioritize non-citizens over its own people.
I also agree that it's time for the left to start putting Americans first. We’ve seen time and again that illegal immigrants are sometimes given more consideration than law-abiding citizens, and that needs to change. President Trump has done exactly what he promised during his campaign by focusing on securing the border and ensuring that those who are in this country illegally are held accountable. While it may not be a popular stance with some, it's a necessary one to restore fairness and focus on the well-being of American citizens. And yes, I do believe this shift is part of the change needed to improve things for people who’ve always followed the rules.
As for the argument that not all those being deported are criminals, I think it’s important to remember that we don’t have concrete information about every single individual’s record. But I trust that ICE is following our deportation laws, which are clear. It’s odd that some people don’t seem to comprehend that anyone here illegally is subject to deportation, regardless of whether they’ve committed a separate crime. The reality is, many are breaking immigration laws simply by being here without legal authorization, and according to the law, they can be deported. Just because they haven’t committed a violent crime doesn’t mean they should be exempt from our immigration laws.Interjecting, as far as protests against ICE and deportations in my humble view it is way to early to make any conclusions. It has only been what, a couple of days ago they began their mission.
I know here in San Diego County American Latino Citizens are taking note and have fears. Yesterday was the first day there was any news coverage with interviews. There is a stir now, but no rumble yet. It won't be an earthquake type of reaction. More like a rising flood.I get what you're saying—it’s definitely early to jump to conclusions, especially since the ICE operations have just begun. It makes sense that people are still processing what’s happening, and there’s always a level of uncertainty when new policies are rolled out. I can see how American Latino citizens in places like San Diego might be concerned, given the tensions around immigration and deportations. The coverage and interviews you mentioned show that people are starting to speak up, but it sounds like the reactions are still in the early stages. A "rising flood" seems like a good way to put it—gradual but potentially growing as more people understand the full scope of what's happening. It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out over time, for sure.
Promise kept ---Reinstate, back pay, and apology for the military that refused the jab.
Summary of article I read in New York Post
President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order reinstating service members who were discharged from the military for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, according to a White House fact sheet.
The executive order instructs the Secretary of Defense to reinstate all active-duty and reserve military personnel who were removed due to declining the COVID-19 vaccine, provided they request reinstatement. These individuals will have their previous ranks restored and receive back pay along with benefits, per the White House document.
Between 2021 and 2023, the Biden administration, under the leadership of then-Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, discharged over 8,000 service members solely for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine. After the mandate was repealed in 2023, only 43 of those discharged chose to return to service under the Biden administration's reinstatement policy.
President Trump first made this pledge during his inauguration speech, stating, "This week, I will reinstate any service members who were unjustly expelled from our military for objecting to the COVID vaccine mandate, with full back pay." He had also promised during a campaign speech last year to rehire those affected, offering them both back pay and an apology from the government.Oh fantastic for these handfuls of individuals. A day to celebrate? Has that affected the economy? Inflation? Or maga agrees with Trump that those things just aren't important anymore... Folks are happy with Biden's economy now that it's Trump's economy? Those of us going into the store with $25 and leaving with a carton of eggs and a box of cereal aren't impressed
It seems Trump is focusing on a range of other issues and promises, emphasizing his belief that efforts like rolling back regulations and boosting energy production could help ease prices over time. Personally, I’ve shared my thoughts on this: when prices for goods rise, history shows they rarely return to their previous levels. That’s an unfortunate reality. What’s even more unfortunate is how the last administration disrupted the economy and sent prices soaring. At this point, there’s only so much Trump can do, but he’s clearly exploring alternative ways to try and bring costs down.
We need to blame for the high costs on the Biden administration. Trump inherited Biden's economic mess. Realistically, it's a shame we now have higher prices, but we got what we got. Maybe more Citizens will consider who they vote for. Biden left a mess. I hold out a bit of hope Trump will bring down costs, he is a great problem solver. But historic trends are very hard to break.He made the promises, over and over and over. People who voted for him listed the economy as the number one reason.... He has failed. No one cares if it's hard to bring prices down. He said he would do it and they believed him. No one wants to hear excuses now. Biden received no Grace when supply chains affected by covid caused price increases and no one will give Trump similar grace when he fails to bring those prices down... Live by the sword die by the sword. He will be kept to his word. He said he would lower food prices ‘immediately’ if elected president,”.
Every American is reminded daily as they go into the grocery store of Trump's broken promise..."He made the promises, over and over and over. People who voted for him listed the economy as the number one reason... He has failed. "
In my view, this statement seems a bit unrealistic. From the very beginning of time, politicians have made hyperbolic promises, and Trump’s image would likely appear next to the word "hyperbole" in the dictionary. I think it’s naive to assume that everyone who voted for Trump believed he could instantly fix everything with a snap of his fingers, like when he said, "I will get it done quickly." That’s just my perspective. I’ve shared before that I have little hope that the situation will improve much, if at all. However, I do hold out some hope due to Trump’s ability to solve problems, and we might see prices come down on certain things.
I don’t think your analogy holds much weight. Biden created a huge problem that he couldn’t fix. Trump, on the other hand, said he would fix it but has only had a few days in office. He may still be able to do so. Let’s revisit this at an appropriate time, and we can discuss it further. He didn’t create the problem, so I don’t blame him if he can’t solve it immediately, especially given that history shows it’s difficult to bring costs down once they’ve risen. However, if prices go even higher, I’ll consider adding Trump to the list of those responsible.
The prices did not seem to concern you for the last 2.5 years. You may want to realize this problem was and is serious, and that we now have a president who appears to be taking some steps to at best try to bring prices down.
Here’s a summary of what I found on the White House website. Trump is working on a few things to try to lower prices for families. One of the main actions he’s taken is signing a Presidential Memorandum, which tells the government to start cutting costs. This includes tackling housing prices, creating more job opportunities, and bringing down expenses for food and gas. He’s also pushing to increase domestic energy production, which should help lower energy costs and, in turn, may, reduce overall consumer prices. Additionally, there are efforts to cut back on government spending and red tape to help boost production and make things more available.
Of course, these efforts are still in the works, and JD Vance has said it’ll take some time for these policies to really make a noticeable difference in things like grocery and energy prices. So, while it won’t happen overnight, there’s hope that over time, these changes will help ease the economic pressure we are facing.Shar,
How can anybody fail at anything when they've been at a job less than two weeks?
I go back to my definition of petty.The first sentence was a quote from Willow --- ""He made the promises, over and over and over. People who voted for him listed the economy as the number one reason... He has failed. " Willow
That is not my sentiment. This is my view on her statement---
In my view, your statement seems a bit unrealistic. From the very beginning of time, politicians have made hyperbolic promises, and Trump’s image would likely appear next to the word "hyperbole" in the dictionary. I think it’s naive to assume that everyone who voted for Trump believed he could instantly fix everything with a snap of his fingers, like when he said, "I will get it done quickly." That’s just my perspective. I’ve shared before that I have little hope that the situation will improve much, if at all. However, I do hold out some hope due to Trump’s ability to solve problems, and we might see prices come down on certain things.
I don’t think your analogy holds much weight. Biden created a huge problem that he couldn’t fix. Trump, on the other hand, said he would fix it but has only had a few days in office. He may still be able to do so. Let’s revisit this at an appropriate time, and we can discuss it further. He didn’t create the problem, so I don’t blame him if he can’t solve it immediately, especially given that history shows it’s difficult to bring costs down once they’ve risen. However, if prices go even higher, I’ll consider adding Trump to the list of those responsible.And yet he presided over an absolute bloodbath on Wall Street yesterday. Americans can't afford their groceries and now trump is tanking portfolios of the wealthy...uh oh
Like I am going to engage in a stock market conversation with you. We have been down that road. I suggest you check out the market as the week progresses... Actually, the Dow closed up yesterday and made many investors happy. Many may be happy today to invest in some of the tech stocks that fell yesterday, giving some a great chance to afford a stock they could not afford or see buying last week.
Nvidia lost close to $600 billion in market cap on Monday, the biggest drop for any company on a single day in U.S. history... Devastating. Under Trump we're falling behind China in the AI race
You're over your head trying to discuss stocks... I have no intention of getting into a conversation regarding the stock market. This is why ---
Today ---
As of January 28, 2025, Nvidia's stock (NVDA) is trading at $120.945, reflecting a 2.13% increase from the previous close.
This uptick suggests that investors are beginning to buy Nvidia shares at the lower price point following the recent decline. Analysts view the initial drop as an overreaction, considering the competitive threat from China's DeepSeek AI model. They believe that the development could drive a larger AI market, benefiting Nvidia in the long term.
Did you buy in at this lower price--- it was a great opportunity.Shar,
It appears the popularity of President Donald Trump is stunning CNN.
"CNN shocked by Trump’s ‘big league’ poll numbers: Americans ‘like what they are seeing’
Donald Trump’s first week as the 47th President of the United States has been a lot of shock and awe.
There have been a wave of executive orders and actions that we cannot yet truly know the full impact of.
At least one poll says that Americans approve of the job he is doing thus far.
CNN data guru Harry Enten laid the numbers out, citing a Reuters/Ipsos poll heading into the weekend.
“Look the American people really like what they are seeing, at least compared to where Donald Trump started eight years ago,” Enten said as he pointed to a graphic on a screen behind him that showed Trump’s net approval rating at -3 points when he took office in January 2017 and at +6 points now.
“Back in January of 2017, Donald Trump became the first president in US History to start his presidency with a net negative approval rating,” Enten said. “Look at where we are now in January 2025, considerably better at plus-6 points.
“That’s up 9 points,” he continued. “To borrow a Donald Trump phrase, ‘That’s big league.’”
Enten said the poll “is a sign that the American people, at least initially, like what they are seeing.”
“It’s not just that he is doing better than he did eight years ago,” Enten said. “It’s that he is doing better than he ever did during his entire first administration.Thanks for sharing! I’m honestly so impressed with Trump’s first week that I can’t put it into words—though, as you know, I’m never one to miss an opportunity to elaborate! First off, he hit the ground running with his bold approach to trade and economic policy. He pulled the U.S. out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), arguing that it would hurt American workers and promising to replace it with better, more favorable deals. He also renegotiated NAFTA, which he deemed outdated, leading to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) that revamped trade in areas like manufacturing and agriculture. On top of that, he made significant moves against China’s trade practices, imposing tariffs to protect American industries.
But it wasn’t just about trade—Trump also focused on securing justice and safety. He granted several high-profile pardons to individuals he believed were wronged by the system, offering a second chance to those who had served their time. He also continued to prioritize deporting illegal immigrants, targeting criminals who pose a threat to public safety.
Lastly, Trump’s efforts to boost technological advancements were impressive, too. He secured $500 billion in investments from top business leaders to accelerate the development of artificial intelligence, signaling his commitment to keeping the U.S. at the forefront of innovation. I’m sure I missed tons of other great actions—it's hard to keep up! Couldn’t be more pleased to say I voted for Trump and fully support his MAGA agenda. In just a week, he showed a clear focus on American interests, and I’m excited to see how these early actions shape his presidency moving forward!Lastly, Trump’s efforts to boost technological advancements were impressive, too. He secured $500 billion in investments from top business leaders.
This is erroneous and misleading. You know as well as the rest of us that this initiative started years ago, before Trump. And actually, currently there's a lot of doubt if this group has the money to continue... Trump has secured nothing.Trump also focused on securing justice and safety. He granted several high-profile pardons to individuals he believed were wronged by the system, offering a second chance to those who had served their time.
How many of them were sentenced outside of the sentencing guidelines? Doesn't look like any that I can find...Biden pardoned some really famous murderers --- How about the man that shot a mom and her 8-year-old in the head--- he had to, the mom was going to testify against him--- he just had to -----
Yes, Adrian Peeler, the man convicted in the 1999 double homicide of Karen Clarke and her 8-year-old son, Leroy "BJ" Brown, was granted clemency by President Joe Biden on January 21, 2025. This clemency commuted his federal sentence for drug-related offenses, which had a concurrent 35-year sentence. As a result, Peeler is set to be released from prison on July 16, 2025. Want a cou[le more? Did any of the Jan 6h murder anyone? Get real. I supported the pardons. Promise kept.None of the criminals that Trump pardoned were sentenced outside of the judicial guidelines... So I don't find any reason they should have been pardoned or had their sentences commuted.
First not sure why you feel you can make a matter-of-fact statement such as you have here. The rest of your statement is your view, which is fine with me--- I don't agree.
It's a fact. If you care to challenge your own opinion, you can certainly do the research...Judges have gone below prosecutors’ recommendations three-quarters of time, and below federal sentencing guidelines about 40 percent of the time...
I have no intention of getting into a conversation regarding the stock market. This is why ---
Today --- one day later
As of January 28, 2025, Nvidia's stock (NVDA) is trading at $120.945, reflecting a 2.13% increase from the previous close.
This uptick suggests that investors are beginning to buy Nvidia shares at the lower price point following the recent decline. Analysts view the initial drop as an overreaction, considering the competitive threat from China's DeepSeek AI model. They believe that the development could drive a larger AI market, benefiting Nvidia in the long term.
Did you buy in at this lower price--- it was a great opportunity.
Sorry, we fell behind the tech race on all counts under Biden--- Trump has pulled in 500 billion in his first days to attempt to fix the issue regarding AI... Trump solves problems. Thank God Trump brought in investors quickly. Biden just could not get funds to get his project off the ground
Under the Biden administration, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, faced challenges securing sufficient funding to advance his AI infrastructure projects. Despite his efforts to engage with the administration, including proposing the development of a vast network of AI data centers consuming up to five gigawatts of power, Altman encountered obstacles in obtaining the necessary financial support.
ENTERPRISE TECHNOLOGY NEWS AND ANALYSIS
In contrast, the transition to the Trump administration has significantly altered the funding landscape for AI initiatives. President Trump announced a private-sector investment of up to $500 billion to fund infrastructure for artificial intelligence, aiming to outpace rival nations in this critical technology. This initiative, known as the Stargate project, involves collaboration between OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank, with plans to build data centers and create over 100,000 jobs in the United States.
REUTERS
The substantial financial backing under the Trump administration has enabled Altman to advance his AI projects more effectively. The Stargate project, for instance, plans to build a natural gas plant on-site to power its first data center in Abilene, Texas, with the capacity to produce up to 360.5 megawatts of power.
BUSINESS INSIDER
"Of course, these efforts are still in the works, and JD Vance has said it’ll take some time for these policies to really make a noticeable difference in things like grocery and energy prices. So, while it won’t happen overnight, there’s hope that over time, these changes will help ease the economic pressure we are facing."
Let's just be sure that "overnight" is not four years, the length of his term....
The pressure is on, delays or excuses won't go very far....Cred, I think it’s safe to say that SOME liberal folks wouldn’t even acknowledge the issues we were facing with prices under Biden. They would suggest things like "just buy smart" or "put on an extra blanket," but now, they’re all on board with the left-wing media blitz, screaming, "We need relief from high prices." Don’t you see what’s happening here? I had hoped you’d eventually start noticing some of what’s being perpetuated, on both sides. Maybe it’s time to just take a step back and really look at what’s going on. I don't know-- I give up.
I pointed out to Willow that history rarely shows prices coming down much. The rising cost of food wasn’t my main reason for voting for Trump. I pretty much knew when we saw prices rise two years ago that we would be living with them. So, if some people are holding onto the hope that prices will drop or that Trump should bring them down—good luck. Biden left us with higher costs all the way around. Would I like to see prices come down? Yes. I’ve shared that I do believe if anyone could break the historical precedent that shows prices rarely come down after they’ve gone up, it might be Trump. I see him as a common-sense problem solver, and in my view, we’ve never needed a president with common sense as much as we do right now.
What I have noted Trump is trying in several ways through unique methods to attempt to bring prices down. I won't list them--- done that at least 4 times. I am not up for beating that horse again.You are so congenial, Sharlee. It is like I told ESO, March 13th will be the report from SSA estimating the 2026 COLA for Social Security Recipients as determined by the CPI for February, will it reflect a lower rate of inflation from the previous month? Let us see how the numbers look then
I think that is a good idea. It will give us facts, and stats to go on. You know I like stats when it comes to the economy.
Considering how the government calculates the COLA (Cost-of-Living Adjustment) increase, it typically looks at inflation trends over the previous 12 months, not just the last few months. Specifically, the U.S. Social Security Administration uses the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) to determine how much inflation has occurred over the year. This index tracks changes in the prices of goods and services like food, housing, and healthcare.
The COLA adjustment is then based on the average inflation rate from the third quarter of the previous year to the third quarter of the current year. If the CPI-W shows that inflation has risen over that time, it leads to an increase in benefits for the following year.
I would predict just for fun--- we get a raise maybe 1.5% or 2%. The inflation number has come down over the past year, but food and housing stayed high. So maybe a raise is coming.
What would you predict --- just for fun...
Shar,
Most people who have never served will not realize the tremendous injustice that was done to these people.
There was vast amount of evidence to prove a young man or even woman could experience permanent damage from taking the COVID vaccine. It was proven it didn't keep people from getting COVID or passing on COVID. It MAY have helped if you from developing a severe case and that's it.
I consider the vaccine to have been pretty worthless. Not taking it harmed nobody but the individual.
These servicemen and women had gone through boot camp, officer's training, had advanced training in their specialty. Many had served for years in the military. To remove someone the government has spent that much money in training and providing experience because of a worthless vaccine was just plain idiotic.
These are people who invested a good portion of their life in the military and if they were performing their duties well, there was NO reason to discharge them.
President Donald Trump has it right. What the low-life biden administration did to these people is a disgrace.
I'm glad this campaign promise was fulfilled.
Colombia caves and takes a plane full of deported illegal migrants.
Jan 27 ---(The Hill) – The White House said Sunday night that a U.S.-Colombia agreement had come together in the wake of a back-and-forth between the two countries over topics including immigration and tariffs.
“The Government of Colombia has agreed to all of President Trump’s terms, including the unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens from Colombia returned from the United States, including on U.S. military aircraft, without limitation or delay,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement emailed to The Hill late Sunday.
“Based on this agreement, the fully drafted IEEPA tariffs and sanctions will be held in reserve, and not signed, unless Colombia fails to honor this agreement,” she added. “The visa sanctions issued by the State Department, and enhanced inspections from Customs and Border Protection, will remain in effect until the first planeload of Colombian deportees is successfully returned.”I do like how President Donald Trump is not afraid to use the economic power of the United States to make a 3rd world country take back their criminals.
I hope it continues.Were they criminals? Where's the proof of that... Ice has arrest quotas so it looks like they are grabbing anyone who is slightly brown...a good tactic? We are going to see an absolute deluge of lawsuits in the coming weeks.
Another great idea??
"speaking at the House Republican Retreat in Doral, Florida, suggested Monday that he wanted to fly American criminals to other countries who will incarcerate for "a small fee."
LOL
"I don't want these violent repeat offenders in our country anymore. If they've been arrested many, many times, I want them out of our country,"
The return of penal colonies? Constitutional? Or that really doesn't matter anymore? This man is clearly demented..You bring up a really important point. If their own countries won’t take them back, that raises a huge red flag, and it does with me as well. If a country refuses to claim its own citizens, it shows a lack of responsibility and accountability. I’m with Trump on this—there’s no reason we should be keeping criminals from other countries. If they entered through Mexico, why not drop them back there? Mexico allowed them to cross into their country, knowing full well they would ultimately break our laws. It just makes sense that they should take responsibility for the individuals they let pass through to enter the U.S. If they don’t, we’re left dealing with the consequences.
Yes, U.S. immigration law generally stipulates that individuals seeking asylum are supposed to apply in the first country they enter after leaving their home country. This principle is based on the idea that refugees should seek asylum in the first safe country they reach, rather than traveling through multiple countries to reach their preferred destination.
Promise Kept----
Trump Signs Executive Order Prohibiting Federal Funds for Child Gender Transition Procedures
On Tuesday evening, President Trump issued an executive order banning the use of federal funds for child gender transition procedures, which he referred to as “chemical and surgical mutilation.” Trump described the practice of minors undergoing gender-altering treatments as a “dangerous trend.”
“The United States will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called ‘transition’ of a child from one sex to another,” the order states. “It will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive and life-altering procedures.”
While the executive order does not target private medical practices, it bars federally funded institutions, including those receiving educational grants, from performing gender-affirming treatments on minors.
The directive also extends its impact to federal healthcare programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, along with health insurance plans provided through federal programs, ensuring taxpayer dollars are not used to support these procedures.lol... With everything else going on, this is his priority? Were federal funds ever used for this? And if they were it had to have been minuscule... Meanwhile, isn't the war still going on in Ukraine? Aren't people struggling to buy groceries, pay rent, insurance rates have gone through the roof and interest rates aren't coming down either as well as where is my $2 gas? For me, this nonsense of continually attacking trans folks is a sickening. When is he going to actually do something that benefits the majority of the country? You know, rather than continuing to attack minorities and expect praise for it... Seriously, how many transitions of children from one sex to the other happen yearly??
Shar,
It's about time for this. Many of the democrat policies were insane and this was one of them. This makes it possible for many confused children to not risk having their bodies permanently damaged before they reach adulthood.
There are so many stories of people who regret falling for the transition lie told to them.
Here is an organization dedicated to them.
https://post-trans.com/Detransition-35
Transparency is back!!! And boy am I pleased.
BREAKING NEWS: President Donald Trump, through White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, has revealed that the mysterious drones spotted over New Jersey were authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for research and other purposes. Here’s a summary of the key points:
FAA Authorization: The drones were authorized by the FAA for research and various other reasons. Many of these drones were operated by hobbyists, recreational users, and private individuals, which contributed to the increase in sightings due to public curiosity.
Not a Threat: The White House assured the public that the drones were "not the enemy" and posed no national security or public safety risk. This statement was made to alleviate concerns about foreign threats or espionage.
I was always concerned about the lack of transparency under the last administration. Whether it was decisions on public health, foreign policy, or economic data, I believe information was selectively presented to shape narratives rather than provide a full picture. However, as promised, Trump has restored transparency. I appreciate transparency—it demonstrates that an administration has nothing to hide.Leavitt..
"After research and study, the drones that were flying over New Jersey in large numbers were authorized to be flown by the FAA for research and various other reasons. Many of these drones were also hobbyists, recreational and private individuals that enjoy flying drones," she added. "In time, it got worse due to curiosity. This was not the enemy."
Trump suggested the Biden administration knew more than it was revealing to the public about the drones...
But...
the Biden administration had on Dec. 16 said in a multiagency statement from the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the FAA and the Department of Defense that though there were indeed drones flying over New Jersey, they constituted a "combination" of lawful aerial activity.
"Having closely examined the technical data and tips from concerned citizens, we assess that the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones, and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones," the joint statement said...
What's the difference??
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/leavitt … =118187426Did the Pentagon lie? FULL HEARING: Drones Over New Jersey Mystery Update Pentagon Briefing. Anybody wants to hear what the head of the Pentagon had to say have at it... I take him at his word. He gets several questions regarding the drones --- make up your mind. ABC or Pentagon?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdlshKsBDTg
Shar,
This is more evidence of how awful democrats are in managing things.
This information should have been released when these sightings first began. The fact that it wasn't speaks volumes to their incompetent leadership.
So glad President Donald Trump is finally providing answers.
More investments in tech came in today---
Helion Energy announced on January 28, 2025, that it had secured $425 million in a Series F funding round. This investment aims to accelerate the development of their next-generation fusion reactor, with the goal of providing carbon-free electricity by 2028.
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy … 025-01-28/
Stargate Project and Helion Energy were under planning under Biden --- But did not have the funding they needed until after President Joe Biden left office. The two buildings at the Stargate data center campus in Abilene, Texas, are currently under construction. One is a 482,000-square-foot data hall expected to be completed by May 2025, and the other is a 484,960-square-foot data center, slated for completion by December 2025. These buildings are not yet fully built, but construction is actively underway. They needed additional funds to complete the buildings.
During the January 21, 2025, press conference, President Donald Trump announced a significant private-sector investment of up to $500 billion to fund infrastructure for artificial intelligence (AI). This initiative involves a joint venture called Stargate, comprising:
OpenAI: The creator of ChatGPT, a leading AI language model.
Oracle: A multinational computer technology corporation.
SoftBank: A Japanese multinational conglomerate holding company.
The Stargate project aims to build data centers and create more than 100,000 jobs in the United States.
REUTERS.COM
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, and Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison appeared at the White House to discuss this collaboration.
CNN.COM
This investment is part of a broader effort to enhance the U.S.'s position in the global AI landscape.
For more details, you can watch the press conference below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3HS_LwNKps
Thank you, President Trump, for securing the funds necessary to make all of this possible. With the administration's focus on cutting burdensome regulations, I anticipate that business investments will continue to grow. As new businesses emerge, we can expect more job opportunities and an increase in revenue."Thank you, President Trump, for securing the funds necessary to make all of this possible"
How and where did he secure the funding? funding is coming from the private sector, not the government. So who did he secure? I totally don't understand how you're giving him credit for making the Stargate venture possible.View the video of the link I provided. I have no interest in if you understand my view in this situation. Hopefully, others who run across my post will understand these investors made comments about Trusting the new administration, and this was part of why they now back the venture. Biden did not instill confidence regarding investors, in my view. He just did not have any projects that included outside investors. There were a few projects started with Federal funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act . But only a few, and they were insignificant.
There's absolutely zero evidence that Trump helped secure funding for the Stargate venture. In fact our Minister of DOGE. Says that the venture still doesn't have the money...
What is that they say in certain regions of the country? That DOGE don't hunt.....
Musk walked back his statement quickly... Maybe check that out. Hey, belive what you please./ Matters zero to me. Glad you broth up DOGE
Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) boasted in X that it is already saving the US government $1 billion a day and will increase that figure to 3 billion a day.
"DOGE saves the federal government about $1 billion a day, largely by stopping hiring people in unnecessary positions, eliminating DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) programs, and stopping unnecessary payments to foreign organizations – all in accordance with the presidential executive orders“, the department said.
“A great start, but this figure must be increased to more than $3 billion per day“, the statement said.
Elon Musk was appointed by US President Donald Trump to head a department called DOGE - Department of Government Efficiency. As previously clarified NBC News, despite the name DOGE will not be a full-fledged ministry in the federal government - the creation of such a department requires the approval of the US Congress. Trump said that DOGE “will provide guidance and advice from the outside.“When did musk walk back in his statement about Stargate not having the funding?
The Wall Street journal..."Billionaire says companies behind the project don’t have enough money to follow through on pledges..."6 days ago
Where is a more recent statement from him taking back his commentary?Yeah, everybody says that he cuts along just along the periphery, but in his boasts he speaks of meat axes and chain saws. Let's just see for far Musk's zeal for gutting federal spending will go and who and how many will ultimately end up feeling the pinch?
Exactly. It's easy to tear things down in a rampage. A lot harder to reform or build. Looks like the American people will be left to sort through the destructive rubble.
Just poking my head in saying, "I am kicking back watching Chaos Theory unfold while Entropy seeks to predict the future."
Certainty ↔ Uncertainty
Order → Disorder
Stability → InstabilityIn a week you already feel this regarding the Trump administration? Yes or no would be good--- short on energy for this forum. Just noted your post to cred--- got my answer. Just was curious.
Shar,
It seems that more people trust President Donald Trump than the media.
Makes sense to me.
"Rasmussen Reports polled likely voters earlier this month on who they trust more, Donald Trump vs. the media.
The media has been at war with Trump for nearly a decade now, and the latest from Rasmussen shows that they lost.
A plurality of 44 percent chose Trump to 41 percent choosing the media, and 15 percent were somehow unsure. The results spanned all age groups; voters aged 18-39 trust Trump over the media by 13 points (45-32), while those age 65+ trust Trump more than the media by a 48-42 margin.
Trump has barely been in office for over a week, and the mainstream media is already pumping out hoaxes.
-Elon Musk nazi salute – debunked lie
- ICE raid at Chicago elementary school – debunked lie
- Susie Wiles blocking Musk's access to Trump – debunked lie
- Navajo Nation members arrested by ICE – debunked lie
- Mexico not allowing deportation flights to land – debunked lie
The…
— Bad Hombre (@joma_gc) January 28, 2025
This comes amid crashing ratings in the liberal media. CNN just slashed 6% of its workforce after already having had layed off hundreds in November, and MSNBC's audience was sliced in half after election day.I completely agree with your take. It’s not surprising that more people trust Trump over the media, given how blatantly biased and misleading the press has been for years. The fact that younger voters also trust Trump more is telling—people are waking up to the media’s deception.
The list of hoaxes they’ve already pushed in just a short time is proof that they haven’t learned a thing. They spent nearly a decade trying to destroy Trump, yet here he is, back in office, and still more trusted than they are. Their collapsing ratings speak for themselves—people are tuning out because they see through the lies.
Exactly. No matter how much evidence piles up against the media’s credibility, there will always be a small group clinging to the narrative, unwilling to admit they’ve been deceived. It’s almost like a psychological refusal to acknowledge reality. Meanwhile, the rest of the country is moving on, seeing things for what they are, and rejecting the media’s manufactured hysteria.
Not necessarily. I predicted it before he was elected. It was providence at play. Equilibrium is reached when entropy is at its maximum.
My reason for asking was simply out of curiosity, a way for me to learn. I’m someone who tries to understand how people think and make an attempt—if you will—to figure out their mindsets, even without really knowing them personally. Thanks for replying
What the heck . . . I can appreciate the shared motive of your inquiry.
“I’m someone who tries to understand how people think and make an attempt—if you will—to figure out their mindsets, . . .”
Said with a giggle focusing on “to figure out their mindset, . . .” I have been on a quest for identity for about 10 years now. Long story. I wrote my autobiography at the end of 2023 and it wound up being over 100K words. Go figure. I hope to edit it this year and do as they say cut, cut, and cut.
As suggested by authorities for writing an autobiography is to have a theme. I wound up with three while the original main one was Erik Erikson’s theory on Human Development. At age 70, I am in the 8th stage – ‘Ego, Integrity vs. Despair’.
Getting to this forum while trying to be succinct I take on the perspective I am an astronaut (Observer) on a strange planet (The forum). In other words, basically, a position of ignorance. I seek objectivity via posts, research, and verification. By that I mean I seek to look at not only both sides of the coin, but the edge too. And, the coin has value, worth, and usefulness, which is determined and not a given.
This forum is ‘Politics and Social Issues’. I view it that politics is a social issue. I see it as society came first and politics follows. I view it as balance is achieved both synergistically and holistically.
That is the best answer I can offer at this time. I should also say a primary principal I always bear in mind is ‘change is inevitable’. I hope it makes some kind of sense.
"He just did not have any projects that included outside investors. "
Are you 100% sure about that?
"Companies have pledged to invest more than $1 trillion in U.S. industries such as semiconductors and clean energy during the Biden administration, the White House said on Monday, citing the passage of three critical laws in recent years."
https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/bide … 024-11-25/As I said no projects were started, I have no idea if any of these investors will keep their word. However, I feel they will now that Trump is president he instills confidence, in my view. Biden just did not. I hope these investors will step up and keep their word. However, they did not under Biden.
"As I said no projects were started,"
Are you 100% sure of that?
Americans aren't really buying all of the "look here not there" junk the trump administration is throwing at them...
"Confidence among U.S. consumers weakened for a second-straight month, reflecting retreating optimism of both current and future conditions at the start of President Trump’s second term and expectations that inflation will rise again..."
You know, the child transgender issue just really isn't hitting home for most of us... It's not relatable to 99.9%. The man will be absolutely dead in the water if inflation remains flat or rises.
https://www.wsj.com/economy/u-s-consume … m-0e48375bI appreciate your perspective—thanks for sharing. I find it challenging to keep up with everything he’s doing on a daily basis. Just today, he has Elon Musk stepping in to retrieve the stranded astronauts. As I’ve said before, this man knows how to solve problems. We may see things from different angles—I want our nation to thrive under our new president, while you seem to be rooting for its downfall. That’s a mindset I simply can’t relate to.
Well I do believe that 99% of us out here are seeing things from our view of the grocery store aisle, the gas pump, the insurance bill that keeps rising, the rents that keep rising, the lack of housing, mortgage rates that are sky high... Astronauts and transgender babies are at the very bottom of our list.. not seeing any problem solving on those fronts.
Yes, this is true—unfortunately, Biden is the one who caused all these problems. How do you feel about your guy now?
Astronauts and transgender babies were on my list of concerns. As I’ve said before, prices rarely go backward. A responsible president should have anticipated that. So, maybe it’s time to get used to what your guy has left us with. I made sure I never had to worry about costs—just knowing I had to be prepared for presidents like Biden. I do hold hope Trump will do his best to bring down costs, he has a talent when it comes to problem-solving.Inflation was spurred predominantly by covid.... And Trump is currently the president. Biden brought down inflation considerably during his term... If Trump does not continue on that progress, very quickly, he will be rightly considered a failure.
"As I’ve said before, prices rarely go backward."
Maybe he should have kept his big mouth shut then? Or did he really just think that a large number of Americans were that gullible... I can remember posters on this very forum telling me how excited they were for prices to come down once Trump took office..."If Trump does not continue on that progress, very quickly, he will be rightly considered a failure."
Best not to promise at all than to promise and fail to deliver. He should have kept his mouth shut....As I said, your opinion is your opinion. Mine is mine. Not sure I would label any group as gullible, I look at individuals. I can only offer my view of what Trump shared on the campaign trail. I found he used lots of typical hyperbolic statements. I can't speak for what others here said. I am sure I shared that I had hoped Trump could bring down costs, and I still do. As I said I feel he is a really good problem solver.
The Battle that Trump must fight on our behalf is enormous, beyond my meager ability to put into words, even if I were allowed 400 pages and a year to do the research.
Trump and his supporters will be fighting many that have worked patiently for decades to siphon the wealth and resources out of America, he will be fighting financial institutions that made themselves wealthy beyond measure, at the expense of what was best for Americans and the Nation.
If the Trump Administration fails, blurbs and headlines like this will soon become the norm:
[/i] Volkswagen is prepared to let Chinese electric carmakers take over production lines in its struggling factories as Germany's automotive industry is struck by a downturn.2 days ago [/i]
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/vw-prepa … 51663.html
[/i] VW and SAIC will sell their plant in Xinjiang to Shanghai Motor Vehicle Inspection Certification (SMVIC), a unit of state-owned Shanghai Lingang Development Group, which will take on all its employees, they said. [/i]
https://www.reuters.com/business/autos- … 024-11-27/
If you aren't growing, expanding, etc. ... then you are going to lose out to someone else who is, whether a nation or a business.
The EU industrial base is in the process of being gutted out and transplanted by Chinese industry, at home and abroad.Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) boasted in X that it is already saving the US government $1 billion a day and will increase that figure to 3 billion a day.
"DOGE saves the federal government about $1 billion a day, largely by stopping hiring people in unnecessary positions, eliminating DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) programs, and stopping unnecessary payments to foreign organizations – all in accordance with the presidential executive orders“, the department said.
“A great start, but this figure must be increased to more than $3 billion per day“, the statement said.
Elon Musk was appointed by US President Donald Trump to head a department called DOGE - Department of Government Efficiency. As previously clarified NBC News, despite the name DOGE will not be a full-fledged ministry in the federal government - the creation of such a department requires the approval of the US Congress. Trump said that DOGE “will provide guidance and advice from the outside.“Promise Kept---
Trump Signs Laken Riley Act into Law, Fulfilling Key Promise on Immigration
President Donald Trump officially signed the Laken Riley Act into law on Wednesday, marking the first legislative victory of his second term.
"This horrific atrocity should never have been allowed to happen," Trump told reporters before signing the bill. "As president, I am fighting every single day to make sure something like this never happens again."
The law, which passed through Congress in January, mandates that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detain illegal immigrants arrested or charged with theft-related crimes or those accused of assaulting law enforcement officers. Additionally, it grants states the authority to sue the Department of Homeland Security if illegal immigration results in harm to their residents.
The legislation is named in memory of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student tragically killed while jogging on the University of Georgia campus by an illegal immigrant. The perpetrator, Jose Ibarra, had prior arrests but was never detained by ICE. He has since been sentenced to life in prison for her murder.
At the signing ceremony, Riley's mother, Allyson Phillips, expressed gratitude for those who helped push the legislation forward.
"We also want to thank President Trump for the promises he made us," Phillips said. "He vowed to secure our borders and to never forget Laken. And he hasn’t. He is a man of his word."
Riley's father, John, and sister, Lauren, were also in attendance.
The measure passed with strong bipartisan support—backed by all House Republicans, 48 House Democrats, all Senate Republicans, and 12 Senate Democrats. Trump highlighted the rare unity between both parties, crediting Laken’s memory for bringing lawmakers together.
"With today’s action, her name will forever be part of our nation’s laws," Trump said. "This is a crucial piece of legislation, and it has united Democrats and Republicans—a rare achievement. Laken did that. America will never forget Laken Hope Riley."President Trump announced on Wednesday that he's giving the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security the go-ahead to set up a migrant detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, with room for up to 30,000 migrants.
Guantanamo Bay already has a migrant facility that’s been used over the years for things like holding Haitians and Cubans picked up at sea, separate from the high-security prison for terrorism suspects. Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, said they’ll be expanding that facility, with ICE taking charge of it.
At a White House event, Trump said, "I’m signing an order today to get the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security working on a 30,000-person migrant facility at Guantanamo Bay." He added that this new facility would focus on detaining the "worst criminal illegal aliens" who are a threat to the country. Trump mentioned that some of these people are too dangerous to be held in their own countries, so they’ll be sent to Guantanamo instead. "This will double our capacity immediately, and it's going to be tough," he said.
Later, Trump signed a memo calling for more detention space at the expanded facility, though it didn’t specify how many migrants would be held there. Homan explained that the center would be for the "worst of the worst."
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said they’re still working on the funding for the project with Congress.
Guantanamo Bay’s detention facility was set up in 2002 by President George W. Bush after 9/11, but it’s still in use today, holding 15 detainees. Even though both President Obama and President Biden tried to close it down, Trump has said he plans to keep it open.Why not just work on reforming the immigration system? I mean it seems like an infinitely better idea than trying to rehabilitate and add on to a facility that is in disrepair... Especially with taxpayer dollars? This is a band aid. I'd like to see real solutions. That means the Congress coming up with an immigration bill that meets the needs of the times.
How about enforcing the immigration laws?
If that had been done the past four years we would not be in this situation.
It is a horrible situation perpetuated and continued by democrats. Now, President Donald Trump is cleaning up this mess and democrats are upset?
Work on enforcing the laws, THEN work on making them better. People around the world don't respect American immigration laws because for years the democrats didn't respect them either.Does this administration not know how to walk and chew gum at the same time?
Mike,
President Trump is making significant progress in enhancing border security and enforcing immigration laws. His administration has implemented a series of measures aimed at strengthening the U.S.-Mexico border and addressing illegal immigration. These initiatives include deploying additional troops, reinforcing the border wall, and introducing innovative deterrents such as large buoys along the Rio Grande to prevent illegal crossings.
The swift implementation of these policies has been remarkable, often outpacing the opposition's ability to respond. Many Democrats appear challenged by the rapid pace of these changes, leading to internal divisions within the party regarding how to address the administration's actions.
Personally, I am pleased to witness the dynamic changes occurring in Washington. I anticipated this proactive approach and find it gratifying to see President Trump fulfilling his campaign promises with such vigor.There have been zero changes to immigration law... 10 million immigrants could show up at the southern border tomorrow and they would have to process their asylum claims...lol.
Why on Earth would he get rid of the app, that actually solved the problem of huge numbers of people coming to the border? Instead, the app had them waiting in their own country... Go figure. Trump doesn't know how to fix things. He's sort of like the toddler who runs around smashing everything..
I understand your frustration with the immigration system and the desire for real, long-term solutions. President Trump has taken several actions to address the problems that have accumulated under Biden’s time in office, including reinstating the "Remain in Mexico" policy, increasing deportations of illegal migrants with criminal records, tightening asylum restrictions to prevent abuse, and working to close the loopholes that have allowed mass releases into the country. He has also pushed for stronger border security, including enhanced physical barriers and technological surveillance, to curb the influx of illegal crossings.
That being said, President Trump faces the same challenge that past presidents have encountered—Congress holds the power to change or reform immigration laws, and they have repeatedly failed to act. In my view, he’s doing well navigating around congressional inaction so far, making significant strides through executive action. For example, he has increased cooperation with states like Texas to empower local enforcement in handling illegal immigration, expanded expedited removal processes to deport individuals faster, and pushed for policies that limit access to taxpayer-funded benefits for those who enter illegally. He also did away with Biden’s CBP One app, which was essentially adding even more migrants to an already overwhelmed system. The immigration courts are backed up by 10 years, and this nonsensical app only exacerbated the problem by funneling even more people into a system that can't handle the current caseload. While immigration reform should ultimately come from Congress, Trump is taking the steps he can to enforce existing laws and protect American citizens.
Refurbishing the existing facilities at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base would be more cost-effective than constructing new detention centers. Originally built as a naval base, Guantanamo Bay already possesses the necessary infrastructure to support such operations. The Migrant Operations Center at Guantanamo Bay has been directed to expand to full capacity to provide additional detention space for high-priority criminal aliens unlawfully present in the United States. According to reports, the facility is being prepared to house up to 30,000 migrants as they await deportation.
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base has its own airstrip, Leeward Point Field. This military airfield. The airfield supports various base operations and can accommodate a range of military aircraft.
In my opinion, this kind of progressive approach is exceptional. He is addressing a significant problem that undoubtedly requires innovative thinking to resolve.Remain in Mexico is not a policy. Mexico is not cooperating with this. Mexico has not agreed. Additionally, asylum is part of our law, Trump cannot block people from seeking asylum without changing laws. Most of what he is doing is already making its way through the courts and will be struck down. If he does not embark on actual legislation, he will be considered a failure. Physical barriers and all that nonsense are useless when the law says migrants are guaranteed a chance to seek asylum... In absolutely any number AND they are allowed to wait for 7 to 10 years while their claim meanders its way through the court... Buoys in the water doesn't stop that. It just wastes taxpayer dollars. Band-Aids on top of Band-Aids.
Also, there is no appetite in the country to use taxpayer dollars to rehabilitate a dilapidated facility to endlessly Warehouse people. This idea of his is a lead balloon. It's another look here not there while people increasingly cannot afford to live. Looks like the fed feels we're on the brink of recession under Trump... Ultimately though, Trump will be held accountable by his voters who put him into office to improve upon the economy... We are all reminded every time we walk the grocery aisles.
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/ … 025-01-22/This link is very complete with factual updates on what Trump is doing at the border--- and yes the President of Mexico is quietly accepting the reinstatement of Remain in Mexico.
https://www.wola.org/2025/01/weekly-u-s … irst-days/
WOLA stands for Washington Office on Latin America. It's an organization that advocates for human rights, democracy, and social and economic justice in Latin America and the Caribbean.
regarding what is current on Wait In Mexico ---- “Remain in Mexico” restarts
The same executive order that halts CBP One restarts the “Remain in Mexico” program, which requires non-Mexican asylum seekers to await their U.S. hearing dates inside Mexican territory.
In January 21 comments, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum did not say that her government would block the U.S. government from returning non-Mexican migrants with appointments in U.S. immigration courts. “It’s nothing new,” she said of the program. “This is something we don’t agree with. We have a different focus. We want to adjust it,” said Foreign Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente.
During the first Trump administration, more than 71,000 asylum seekers had to “remain in Mexico.” Human rights monitors compiled over 1,500 examples of violent crimes these people suffered during their wait at the hands of Mexican organized crime and corrupt officials.
With asylum effectively blocked and the border putatively sealed to undocumented people, it is not clear against whom the new administration plans to apply a revived “Remain in Mexico.”
At least two moderate Democrats from districts that went for Donald Trump in November (Jared Golden of Maine and Marie Glueskamp Perez of Washington) have co-sponsored a Republican-led House bill that would compel the U.S. government to carry out “Remain in Mexico” rather than make it optional.
I have shared my personal view, nothing more to say on that.From your link...
The Mexican president said of the wait in Mexico program. “This is something we don’t agree with. We have a different focus. We want to adjust it,” said Foreign Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente.
Doesn't matter how many of our useless Congress people want to compel the US government to enforce "wait in Mexico". You have to have the cooperation of Mexico actually... It's just sort of common sense. But we all know that Trump is highly unskilled in any sort of diplomacy. He cannot legally "seal" the border. At the current point in time we are still a nation of laws... And our immigration law says that these folks are welcome to claim asylum.You posted " Remain in Mexico is not a policy. Mexico is not cooperating with this. Mexico has not agreed. Additionally, asylum is part of our law, Trump cannot block people from seeking asylum without changing laws." This is not the case as I have offered proof of." Willow
Yet as of Jan 21 --- they are cooperating. You seem to have selced only part of a paragraph which leaves out full context.
"In January 21 comments, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum did not say that her government would block the U.S. government from returning non-Mexican migrants with appointments in U.S. immigration courts. “It’s nothing new,” she said of the program. “This is something we don’t agree with. We have a different focus. We want to adjust it,” said Foreign Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente.: WOLA
Trump has the border all but closed.Trump does not have the authority to close the border. The courts will soon wipe away most likely all of his executive orders on immigration. I don't think any of them are legal. His actions are a colossal waste of time and simply just a big distraction. Why doesn't he embark on the actual real work that needs to be done in terms of immigration reform?
But is all but closed... Not sure anyone is objecting.
Yes, several lawsuits have been filed against the U.S. government in response to President Trump's recent immigration policies, which have effectively closed the border to many migrants. Guess we will wait and see Trump's bold move to all but close the border.
He has sent a strong message, and he has stopped the flow, and he is rapidly deporting migrants. In my view, he is rolling right along, and all without Congress. I am impressed, and see he is working like hell to keep all his immigration promises. I keep up with WOLA they do tell it like it is.If you understand immigration law, you understand that his actions are illegal. There's no doubt. Absolutely nothing meaningful will happen without Congress. He isn't a king.
It seems like he’s doing plenty, but I’m not sure Congress even cares about his actions at this point. "King"? I still can't get past how you label people, especially since I've often seen you quote labels Trump has used to describe others, as if you find the practice distasteful—but then you do it yourself, just like many liberals. Maybe you and Trump have that in common.
Little marco? Ron De sanctimonious? Lol , you want these names of endearment to go away now? Or find them distasteful? I don't think I've ever seen anyone speak out against Trump's use of nicknames... But outrage if someone uses Mango Mussolini or otherwise? Interesting. I use them to point out the hypocrisy... Not because I agree with idiotic pet names.
"If you understand immigration law, you understand that his actions are illegal."
I think you need to study immigration law a little closer. Everything President Donald Trump has done in connection to the border is backed up by law. He's done nothing illegal.
Oh, I'm sorry, but the president of the United States does indeed have the authority to close the boarder. It's the law and found in 8 USC Section 1182 (F).
8 U.S.C.
§ 1182(f), which provides:
Whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as
immigrants or nonimmigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate.Great post. Thanks for finding that.
Too bad Biden did not have anyone to find that information for him. He said to the journalists that he needed new laws since as president he did not have authority on the border.
I realize you are against anything that he is trying but as you will notice it is not the go to France program, it is REMAIN in Mexico. That is where the people are. There is no need to get Mexicos permission for this.
If they do not want those people staying in their country while applying to enter the US all they have to do is put them on a plane and send them back to Venezuela or wherever they are originally coming from.I think the "Wait in Mexico" program is a smart move. I spend my winters in Mexico, and the locals here have really had enough of the influx of migrants. The new president has been very popular so far, but the people are pushing for her to take stronger action to stop migrants from crossing through the country. In places like Puerto Vallarta, migrants are being treated poorly, and often treated with disdain. I believe the pressure is building, and the president will eventually take steps to prevent migrants from using Mexico as a stepping stone for their journey.
Mexico has always had strict immigration laws. Becoming a citizen here is a lengthy process—it can take many years. I have several friends who own homes here and are hoping to make a permanent move, but they can’t get citizenship. We all deal with the reality of the laws, which restrict how long we can stay here before having to leave and return later. It's a complicated situation for anyone looking to settle here long-term.
I think the president will use her troops to stop the flow of migrants. The pressure is mounting, and with the growing frustration among the citizens, it's likely she'll take stronger action. Using the military to enforce stricter border controls could be a way for her to show she's taking the issue seriously and working to protect Mexico's borders from being used as a pass-through for migrants on their way to the U.S.
The larger cities are overrun, and migrants are living in the streets. She will act soon.You are trolling... anyone who hopes to see what Mexico is doing can visit the link I provided that gives a factual account of what Mexico is doing.
Mexico doesn't have a choice. What are they going to do? Try and release people into a closed border?
Since resuming office in January 2025, President Donald Trump has implemented several measures to prevent migrants from entering the United States:
National Emergency Declaration: On January 20, 2025, President Trump declared a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, enabling the administration to allocate additional resources and authority to address immigration concerns.
WHITEHOUSE.GOV
Deployment of Military Personnel: The administration has deployed an additional 1,500 troops to the southern border, supplementing the existing 2,500, to enhance border security and deter unauthorized crossings.
Suspension of CBP One App: The CBP One app, previously used by migrants to schedule asylum appointments, has been disabled to prevent its misuse for illegal entry.
Reinstatement of the "Remain in Mexico" Policy: Asylum seekers are now required to wait in Mexico for their U.S. immigration hearings, reducing the number of migrants entering the country during the adjudication process.
Resumption of Border Wall Construction: The administration has resumed construction of the border wall to physically impede unauthorized crossings.
Termination of Birthright Citizenship: An executive order has been issued to end birthright citizenship, aiming to reduce incentives for unauthorized immigration.
Designation of Drug Cartels as Terrorist Organizations: Foreign drug cartels have been labeled as terrorist organizations, allowing for enhanced enforcement measures against entities facilitating illegal immigration.
Enhanced Deportation Efforts: The administration has initiated a large-scale deportation plan targeting approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants, though this faces significant logistical and legal challenges.
On Mexico's end, here is what is being reported here---
Yes, the Mexican government has initiated the "Mexico Embraces You" program to assist Mexican nationals deported from the United States. This initiative provides economic support of 2,000 pesos (approximately $100) to deported Mexican citizens who lack the resources to return to their communities of origin. The assistance is delivered through the new Bienestar Paisano Card.
WIRED.COM
In addition to financial aid, the program offers access to social services, including enrollment in existing social programs, legal assistance for obtaining identification documents, and affiliation with the Mexican Social Security Institute for healthcare and other benefits.
WIRED.COM
For non-Mexican asylum seekers who are not admitted to the U.S. at the border, the Mexican government has indicated plans to temporarily receive these individuals and subsequently facilitate their voluntary return to their countries of origin. However, specific details regarding financial assistance for non-Mexican migrants have not been explicitly outlined.
ELPASOMATTERS.ORG
Therefore, while Mexican authorities are cooperating with the U.S. by providing support to deported individuals, the 2,000 pesos assistance is specifically designated for Mexican nationals. The support for non-Mexican asylum seekers primarily involves temporary shelter and assistance with voluntary repatriation, without a specified financial component.
All these measures should help clear out many Migrants in Mexico--- the people are very unhappy about the mess they are living with, and the money being spent on non-citizens.
Her post was hilarious. I can just see the US asking permission from Mexico so that they can keep their own citizens in their own country while deciding whether to allow them to enter! No country in the world has to ask permission of their neighbors to keep their own residents.
And if they are invaders on Mexican soil, it is the Mexicans that are responsible for them, not the US.
The US is not asking Mexico to house asylum candidates coming in from the Canadian border, are they? I do not know of any law in the US that states that the US government has to house and feed residents of a foreign country that are requesting asylum. (If someone requests to enter the country legally they need to stay home and pay their own expenses when waiting.)
There are a lot of laws I am not familiar with but I have not heard of that one.Mexico seems to be cooperating with Trump's plan to keep those turned away at the border, and more ---The Mexican government has initiated the "Mexico Embraces You" program to assist Mexican nationals deported from the United States. This initiative provides economic support of 2,000 pesos (approximately $100) to deported Mexican citizens who lack the resources to return to their communities of origin. The assistance is delivered through the new Bienestar Paisano Card.
In addition to financial aid, the program offers access to social services, including enrollment in existing social programs, legal assistance for obtaining identification documents, and affiliation with the Mexican Social Security Institute for healthcare and other benefits.
For non-Mexican asylum seekers who are not admitted to the U.S. at the border, the Mexican government has indicated plans to temporarily receive these individuals and subsequently facilitate their voluntary return to their countries of origin. However, specific details regarding financial assistance for non-Mexican migrants have not been explicitly outlined.
They are more than willing to help the US with the problem Biden created.Mexico is doing absolutely nothing, zero, differently between now and a few months ago when Biden was president
Our government here in Brazil is also providing all sorts of support for the illegals, which based on the comments on social media have not been well accepted by our population. The criminals that went to the US abandoned our country and now the socialist government is giving them a place to stay as well as food and other things. If they had stayed and worked here like the rest of the Brazilians, they would be getting nothing.
The socialist government rep that met that plane complained about all the children being abused on the flight, yet all the leftist media showed were single men in their 20s and 30s leaving the plane.Hi Doc,
Please understand that what I am about to share comes from my personal perspective. I find liberal ideologies difficult to align with, and I often struggle to understand or accept the attitudes they promote. Given this, it does not surprise me that the socialist government representative misrepresented who was on that flight, claiming that children were being mistreated—yet, notably, the media only showed single adult men in their 20s and 30s disembarking. It seems to me that these kinds of falsehoods are easily told and then quickly brushed aside in favor of the next issue. As you can see, I do not support liberal ideologies or those who strongly advocate for them.
Seems like such a simple solution which means those on the left will be quite confused by it.
It’s truly wonderful to see the President step up so quickly and offer heartfelt condolences to everyone affected by this tragedy. His words, I'm sure, brought comfort to those who are grieving. He also held a press conference to address the air tragedy. It’s refreshing to see a leader stand before the press and answer questions without relying on scripted cards or pre-written responses. His honesty. his empathy, and transparency in sharing his views are qualities I deeply appreciate. He reports to us and gives journalists the chance to ask questions—something we don’t always see. I’m proud to support him. Here’s the link to the view of President Trump's words to the nation on the air tragedy, and added press conference. Hopefully, anyone that runs across my post will take time and watch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhAvhG37ZJcIt was beyond ugly to turn a tragedy into a moment to divide the country by claiming DEI was likely responsible for this accident...
Working on keeping promises--- Ultimately, this memo is a crucial step in restoring order and efficiency to the federal government. It ensures that policies reflect the will of the voters rather than the remnants of a rejected Biden administration’s last-minute maneuvers. Trump’s commitment to eliminating wasteful policies and strengthening government accountability remains clear, and this directive reinforces his efforts to deliver on the promises made to the American people.
President Donald Trump is set to sign a memo that will overturn the collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) that former President Joe Biden put into place before leaving office. This move is essential to ensuring that federal agencies are not burdened by last-minute agreements designed to constrain the incoming Trump administration from implementing much-needed reforms. The memo explicitly directs agencies to reject any CBAs issued in the final 30 days of Biden’s presidency and prevents agencies from establishing new agreements during the final month of any president’s term. Additionally, agency heads will be required to disapprove any agreements Biden pushed through at the last minute.
The White House made it clear that CBAs enacted prior to this 30-day window will remain in place, allowing the Trump administration the opportunity to renegotiate agreements that better serve the American people. The Biden administration attempted to lock in policies that were clearly rejected at the ballot box, including a deal made in December 2024 between Biden’s Social Security Administration Commissioner, Martin O’Malley, and the American Federation of Government Employees. This agreement ensured that the agency’s 42,000 employees would NOT have to work in-office during Trump’s administration, a policy that directly undermined efforts to restore efficiency in government operations.
Biden’s administration also implemented similar agreements within the Department of Education, Small Business Administration, and Federal Trade Commission, all of which were designed to obstruct Trump’s ability to fulfill his promise of bringing federal employees back to in-person work. These agreements were a clear attempt to govern beyond Biden’s presidency and prevent the new Trump administration from making necessary changes. Trump’s memo will put an end to these overreaching agreements, reinforcing the principle that once a president’s term ends, so does their ability to dictate agency policies.
Beyond rolling back Biden’s last-minute CBAs, the memo also ensures that federal agencies operate under similar rules as private sector unions and employers. This move aligns with the White House Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) recent directive requiring agency heads to notify employees of their return-to-office orders. Federal employees will be expected to work full-time in-office unless they qualify for a medical exemption. In a controversial move, OPM also sent emails this week offering employees the option to resign with full pay and benefits until September 30 if they choose not to return. However, this option does not extend to postal workers, military immigration officials, national security personnel, or any other roles agencies decide to exempt.
The information I accumulated to write my comment together is from Fox News.President Donald Trump ordered military airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIS) operatives in Somalia on February 1, 2025. The operation targeted a senior ISIS attack planner and other militants hiding in caves. The U.S. military coordinated with the Somali government, and initial assessments indicated multiple terrorist operatives were killed, with no civilian casualties. President Trump emphasized that the strikes were meticulously planned to avoid civilian casualties and conveyed a strong message to potential attackers, assuring that the U.S. will locate and eliminate anyone who threatens the nation and its allies. AP
Feb 1 2025 ---- President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Venezuela would take back “all” of the country’s migrants his administration wants to deport, an announcement that came on the heels of the release of six American hostages from the South American country late Friday night.
Trump celebrated the hostages’ return in a post to Truth Social, adding that the country had agreed to receive “all Venezuela illegal aliens who were encamped in the U.S.” — and that Venezuela would “supply the transportation.”
Trump has made immigration policy a cornerstone of his presidency, overseeing several deportation flights of migrants back to Guatemala, Honduras and Ecuador and ordering the detention of up to 30,000 migrants at Guantanamo Bay. Flights to the notorious detention center are set to start this weekend.If only any of that actually addressed people's cost of living...He was never going to fight to bring the grocery prices down. He was always going to crash the economy, raise drug prices, and increase taxes... they're just finding that out now....
https://x.com/piyushmittal/status/1885119051569004587
Does anybody know if the raids have hit the places that have the highest number of migrants working? You know, the farms, the fields, the slaughterhouse is, the meat packing plants, poultry plants? I find no evidence of it and wonder why???
Promise kept---
The Trump administration is moving forward with new tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), following legislation signed over the weekend.
President Donald Trump authorized the tariffs through an executive order on Saturday, with implementation set for Tuesday. The order includes a 25% additional tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico, alongside a 10% additional tariff on imports from China.
According to the White House, energy resources imported from Canada will face a lower 10% tariff. In a statement released on Saturday and obtained by Fox News, the administration justified the move by citing an "extraordinary threat posed by illegal aliens and drugs, including deadly fentanyl, constitutes a national emergency." The executive order further emphasized the severity of the issue, stating, "This challenge threatens the fabric of our society. Gang members, smugglers, human traffickers, and illicit drugs of all kinds have poured across our borders and into our communities."
The administration also pointed to Canada’s role in these challenges, criticizing the country for not allocating enough resources or effectively working with U.S. law enforcement to combat illicit drug trafficking. "Canada has played a central role in these challenges, including by failing to devote sufficient attention and resources or meaningfully coordinate with United States law enforcement partners to effectively stem the tide of illicit drugs," the order stated.
A fact sheet from the White House reinforced the purpose of the tariffs, explaining that they are designed to hold Canada, Mexico, and China accountable for their commitments to combat illegal immigration and prevent the flow of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs into the U.S. The move came as no surprise, as White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had already signaled on Friday that the tariffs would be announced over the weekend.
Speaking to reporters that same day, Trump suggested that tariffs on European Union imports could also be raised in the near future, stating that such measures would make the U.S. "very rich and very strong." On Truth Social, Trump reiterated his reasoning for the tariffs, writing, "We need to protect Americans, and it is my duty as President to ensure the safety of all. I made a promise on my Campaign to stop the flood of illegal aliens and drugs from pouring across our Borders, and Americans overwhelmingly voted in favor of it."
Trump has consistently expressed frustration with Mexico, Canada, and China regarding their roles in contributing to illegal immigration and drug trafficking into the United States. His recent actions, including the new tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), signal that he is not ignoring the issue but rather taking economic measures to hold these nations accountable. Finally, we have a president who is taking action instead of ignoring these serious issues.
Trump does not appear to be turning a blind eye to these nations' roles in the U.S. immigration and drug crisis. Instead, his administration is employing tariffs as a form of punishment for what he sees as their failures. His approach suggests that if these countries do not take stronger action, economic pressure will continue to mount.
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